


Middle Earth spy ring

by jillianbaade



Category: The Hobbit, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:00:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21954037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jillianbaade/pseuds/jillianbaade
Summary: A preview of a story that's been bugging me for nearly a year.Thorin's Company are part of and working with an espionage ring fighting the forces of darkness.Along the way, they have many adventures, and are aided by the unlikeliest people, a determined group of Slave Girls, who know with Sauron's defeat they will win their freedom at last.Starts after The Hobbit, goes back pre Hobbit, through the Quest for Erebor and on to LoTR.This will most likely turn into a very long story.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

The Girl fidgeted. Only with her feet, the rest of her she kept still, her posture straight and strong, her chin up, her pride in being considered beautiful enough to be chained to her master's stirrup obvious. 

The rider pulled her close by the steel chain that went from her right wrist to his left stirrup, it was no hardship for her to lean into him, her head resting against his thigh. They were deep undercover, involved in a life or death intelligence mission and it could easily be death to let their disguise slip up even a little.

Although the Girl was free now, she had again donned a collar and slave tunic of her own free will to help out. Her hair was loose, and her collar was firmly locked on; she felt she was bound to her master's will as a true Slave Girl again, her training and conditioning so deeply engrained she was not acting.

He stroked her hair and soothed her. 'Easy, lass, we'll be past these checkpoints soon enough.'

She shivered, a frightened, vulnerable slave girl again, she pressed her lips to her master's hand. He, the master, felt terrible. It went against all his dwarf nature to treat this deeply beloved and cherished woman this way, as a slave, yet their disguise required it. 

Past one checkpoint, the guards checking the Girl's brand,and transit papers and her Master's papers, all of which had been expertly forged by highly trained scribes.

At the next checkpoint, the Master drew his sword on a guard attempting to touch the Girl intimately. The creepy oily looking idiot had frozen at the touch of the sword point to his throat.

Kneeling on the examination platform in brand inspection position, the Girl had endured the guard's foul touch as he'd lifted her short tunic to expose the almost hip high brand on her left thigh.

'Common X brand, green eyes, dark honey hair, height 5' 2", measurements?' Another Slave Girl stepped forward and measured the kneeling Girl, nodding at the results. 

The measuring Girl handed the Slave's papers back to her Master as the guard casually forced the Slave backwards by her hair to enjoy the look of her in a Slave Bow. 'A pity she's clothed,' he remarked, then as his right hand went to touch the terrified Girl intimately, the Master had drawn his sword like lightning, 'she's not branded there,' he snarled.

Backing away, a decent scratch on his neck bleeding, the guard waved the Girl and her Master on. Again, the Girl was chained to her Master's stirrup as they traveled the ten miles to the next checkpoint. 

Again, the Master was astonished by the Girl's endurance. As part of a wandering party of dwarves, she once a true Slave, but since freed, they had traveled far in Middle-earth, but never like this before. 

Mile after mile she paced the trotting pony, her gait sure and relaxed. Often she had spoken of her childhood, living out with the desert tribesmen, learning to cover vast distances swiftly on foot. 

When they finally pulled up at the next, and final checkpoint, the pony was winded, but the Girl, though sweating a bit seemed still fresh and able to run on.

A low whistle greeted their arrival at the checkpoint, 'you've got a ripe beauty there. Is she for sale?' The guard was openly admiring the Girl. 

The Master pulled her close again, 'No.'

'She 'd be worth a good bit, maybe a hundred gold pieces.'

'No.'

'She's just a Girl, you could easily buy another.'

'If she's just a Girl you go buy another. She's not for sale.' The Master's voice was low and deadly, all the aggression of a trained warrior showing in his movements and voice. 'Are our papers in order or not?'

'Yes,' replied another guard. 'Emissary, you are welcome. Does your Girl have a name?'

'Aye, she does.'

'We need to put that name on the list of Slaves permitted at this meeting.'

'Esme.'

'Very good. Master Dwarf, you are welcome as a representative from the King of the Durin's, and the Slave Girl known as Esme, who is described in these papers. Do you wish to kennel the Girl?'

'No.'

The second guard sighed. It would be so much easier to have had all the visiting emissaries Girls kennelled, but most insisted on keeping their most personal slaves close.

He handed a small map to the annoyed dwarf. 'You will find lodgings for yourself and your Girl aways down this street plus stabling for the pony.'

Without saying a word the dwarf turned the pony in the direction indicated by the map and rode off, both guards openly admiring the beauty of the Girl. 

At a likely looking lnn, cleaner than some others, the Master dismounted, unshackling the Girl. A boy appeared, and when flung a coin, took the pony away to be cared for and fed. 'Take the baggage to my room when you're done.' Another coin followed. 

The Girl heeled the Master as commanded. 'The likes of her ain't allowed in the tap room at this hour,' a fairly well groomed lnnkeeper spoke

'Then send food up to my room, enough for her as well, and ale.' The Master showed his papers and the lnnkeeper's attitude changed. 

'Yes, of course, sir. A front room? With private facilities? Done! Do you want to kennel the Girl or keep her in your room?'

'She stays by me.'

'Very good, all our large rooms are equipped to keep Girls under tight security, but if you need anything special let us know, we keep an extensive range of disciplinary gear.'

The Master, again his Dwarven nature revolted by what he was being forced to do, didn't answer, too busy memorising the Inn's layout, as he knew the Girl was also doing. 

By the time they had both washed up, and checked over the room for layout, hidden doors and traps, and any secondary ways in or out, the hot food ordered had arrived. 

Using her extensive training the Girl checked the food and drink for poison. All clear, both ate and drank, hungry from their long journey as they discussed in low voices their plans.

'We got into the city easily enough, now how to get into the Slaver's house tomorrow?'

'Quite easily, Master.' He scowled at her using the word Master, but it had to be. 'Tomorrow you will take me there to have me appraised for insurance


	2. The Next Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To the story proper now, though it follows on from the preview..the Master is still not fully revealed, for some reason he is being very shy.

The Girl was up early, she did not disturb the Master who was still deeply asleep. It often astonished her how any of the dwarves she knew well could go from sleeping like the dead to wide wake in an instant if danger showed itself. Of course, the fact she'd insisted on sleeping at the foot of the bed as a Girl should (knowing they'd be watched very closely for a day or two) had helped her not disturb her Master. 

Slipping into the bathroom she took a brief bath, and emerged wearing a clean mid brown coloured slave tunic, if possible even shorter and more revealing than the yellow one she'd worn the day before. 

Bare foot, she padded around the room, setting out some of their things, laying out her Master's clothes for a bath when he woke.

Which he soon did. Using the facilities provided, the Girl had tea ready waiting which she served as he sat up. As always, she couldn't keep her eyes off his bare, muscular chest, with the patterns of tattoos and battle scars she knew so well, so intimately.

The Master grinned as he got out of the bed and took the cup from the Girl, drinking quickly. He too, didn't linger in the bath water, but refreshed by the hot water soon was ready to leave the room, dressed in tall dwarf boots, black leather trousers, and a blue linen shirt with light chain mail. He was not obviously armed but for a sword, yet the Girl knew he would be carrying many knives and daggers, several of which were placed on him in such a way that the Girl could get to them in a desperate situation. 

She preceded him down the stairs as was proper. In the main dining room many people were eating breakfast, mostly humans but he did see a couple of elves.

A free serving wench stepped up to take the Master's order of bacon, eggs, toast and baked beans. She ignored the Girl seated by her Master's chair, but he ordered porridge with honey and berries for her. 

The serving wench frowned, 'it doesn't do to spoil a slut, she should just have slave gruel.'

The Master gave the free woman a hard glare, 'it's my business how she is fed, not yours. Just get the food.'

By now, the Innkeeper was staring at the serving wench, she caught his angry look, and 'yes sir,' she snapped as she flounced out of the room.

It was the lnnkeeper himself who brought the Master's order to the table and set out the plates, 'not that it's any of my business, but should you spoil this Girl?'

In the careless, almost rough way most masters showed affection for their Girls, the dwarf shook his Girl's head. 'She's a good girl.'

The lnnkeeper left, muttering to himself about slave sluts. He himself only employed free women for all his staff. 

The Girl was not provided with a spoon, so ate her food delicately with her fingers, licking them clean as she finished. No doubt she would have a chance to wash her hands properly soon enough.

She sat and watched the other patrons as her Master ate, carefully observing their interactions. It helped many of them were Easterlings and didn't know she understood several of their languages, and if she had not been so carefully trained she would have laughed out loud at the careless way they were letting out information. 

His meal finished the Master held a large cup for the Girl to take a deep drink of cold well water. At a slight signal from him, she stood and held out her crossed wrists to be tied. 

Ignoring the lnn staff, who would put the food on his tab, he linked his left hand through the rope binding the Girl's hands and led her outside. Both appeared to be walking randomly about the city streets, casually looking about, but they were actually doing several things.

Again, listening to the chatter of others walking the streets. Then both were closely observing the layout of the streets, market squares and residential areas in case they needed to flee in a hurry. Then, of course, they were looking for the House of the famous Slave Trader, Raedd.

In a short street selling slave handling equipment the Master bought cosmetics and perfume to adorn his Girl. Casually the stall holder suggested a hair trim for the Girl to bring her long, luxurious locks back into the proper Slave Flame hairdo.

The Master recognised the wisdom of this, and from the Slave Girl who performed this duty, learned the location of the House he sought.

In the close, narrow streets, he now had the Girl heel him, closely. The walk to the Slave House wasn't far, and a knock at the door soon brought a doorkeeper to ask who they were.

'The Emissary from the High King of Dwarves to the Council of Easterlings to be held next week. My Master wishes me appraised for insurance purposes,' the Girl answered. 

The door opened, 'come in, come in,' the doorkeeper smiled. He could see good money for his employer for doing this appraisal, and of course it might turn out the Girl could really be for sale. The man knew how his employer would like to get his hands on selling such a prime piece of merchandise as the Girl who stood before him. He'd never heard of dwarves owning Girls before but given their extreme way they protected their culture, anything was possible.

Both Master and Girl were escorted to Raedd, who was inspecting a group of male work slaves, several of who were captured Dwarves, clearly mostly Blacklocks. The Master burned with anger, but could do nothing, yet. Luckily, those poor Dwarves couldn't see him, but he made a mental note to see them freed before leaving this city, if he had to buy them free himself. As for funds, well, he looked over at the Girl, and remembered many times her dancing had brought in a lot of money when needed. 

Thinking of her, the appraisal was about to begin, and he was staying to watch, both out of curiosity and concern for the Girl over the procedure itself. 

One of Raedd's senior staff had commanded the Girl 'disrobe.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On we go to the Girl appraisal. Please remember that while l own nothing but my OC, l also don't approve of any kind of slavery or enforced labour, these things just fit my storyline.


	3. Girl lnspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see how the Girl lnspection goes. The Master nearly looses his mind over it, but some vital intel is discovered.

Obeying the command, the Girl pulled the disrobing loop on her tunic, and the garment fell to the ground, pooling around her feet. She stepped out of it, and another Girl picked it up, shaking the tunic, folding it and giving it to the Master as it was he who would decide if, or when she would wear it again later.

The inspector walked around the Girl as Raedd watched. 'Chin up,' he said to her she obeyed. As he walked around her, the touch of the handle of the whip he carried gave the Girl instructions, to move forward, backwards or sideways, to raise and lower her arms and so on.

After some minutes, the inspector turned to Raedd, 'on first impression a fit, healthy Girl. Luscious figure. Obedient, intelligent and well trained. Exquisite face, perhaps not the most beautiful l have ever seen, but she shows a delicate femininity in her features that is very attractive. Probably of Easterling blood mixed something like the people of Rohan.' 

Raedd nodded, agreeing with his employee. Addressing the Master, Raedd asked, 'is she a bred slave?'

A shake of the dwarf's head was the answer. 

'Rare indeed to see this much beauty in any but one bred for it,' Raedd murmured. 'What next?' he questioned the inspector.

'A full medical examination.'

'Excellent ' Raedd confirmed.

A healer was outside, a free woman who took her time examining the Girl, her teeth, her reflexes, everything. Satisfied the healer spoke to Raedd, 'as healthy as she looks, age, early to mid twenties, a magnificent specimen.'

Raedd thanked the woman who went back to her more routine treatment of minor problems in Raedd's general slave stock. 

'In more depth now, inspect the female and, where necessary amend her papers,'  
ordered Raedd. 

The Slave Girl standing by began to take the inspected Girl's measurements again, height, weight, collar and bracelet sizes. She was checked throughly by the inspector for new marks or scars of any kind, and the Master bit down hard on his anger when the inspector noticed, and closely looked at scar starting under the Girl's left arm and running deep underneath her full breast. The man had lifted the Girl's breast to check on the nature of this slight disfigurement, and it was not that way the inspector handled the Girl that caused her Master's anger, for truly he had touched the Girl with great care and gentleness, but the fact he touched her at all. It was all the Master could do not behead the man, then and there.

Eyes like daggers, he silently dared the man to touch the Girl again. He didn't but instead checked the House owned Girl was correctly recording the scar on the papers. 'She handles nicely, too, very soft skin,' the man commented, ignoring the dwarf's hand now on his sword hilt.

Continuing, the man came to her tattoo, on the inner left wrist of an anvil below seven stars. His fingertips brushed it and a questioning glance was directed at the Master.

'Mark of Durin,' he fibbed slightly, 'it shows she is under the protection of the direct line of descent from Durin the first,' this second thing was sort of true.

'And the scar?'

'Battle injury.'

'A warrior?'

'The lass has some training.'

'Interesting. What else does she know?'

When the Master didn't reply, the House owned Girl spoke, 'it says here she can speak several Easterling languages, is an expert horse and camel handler, and best of all, a trained performer of Raqs Beladi.'

A dancer,' exclaimed Raedd. Directly speaking to the Girl, 'are you any good?'

'I am held to be quite good, Master.'

'Then we shall test you.'

In ten minutes the Girl was taken to one of House's own dance floors, where the usual run of Girls they brokered was given at least a little dance training. Hired musicians were ready, and the Girl stood ready to strike a starting pose.

'Body chains.' The command was given, and Girls rushed forward to fasten a series of loops of light chain tightly about the Dancer's body, emphasising her natural curves. 

The Dancer struck a pose, knees slightly bent, hands raised above her head, wrists touching. At the sound of a drum beat the Dancer began to sway, and as other instruments joined in, she began to twist and shimmy, her fluttering hands a counterpoint to her strong, yet sensual hip movements. 

As her dance continued, people, both free and slave, massed to watch the beautiful Dancer show her skill. Most of the audience was clapping in time to the music and calling out in admiration. By the time the drums ended her dance, with the Girl going down her knees in a brief display of flawless floor work, about one hundred people had packed the practice floor, cheering the best dancer the House had seen in years.

As the Girl stood, and the chains were removed from her, Raedd indicated the Girl could be clothed again if her Master wished so the dwarf quickly handed her the Slave tunic and she just as quickly drew it back on, turning to her Master to have the disrobing loop refastened. 

'Well..,' Raedd drew the word out. 'No need to put this one through her Slave paces after that display. Are you sure she's not for sale?' he asked the Master. 

'Absolutely sure.' the dwarf replied, arms folded and a death glare on his face.

Raedd sighed deeply, 'l don't blame you, she is a rare one. We will prepare the appraisal papers and have them delivered to your lodgings tomorrow.' Regret coloured his gaze as he watched the Master pay his fee for the Girl's appraisal.

Both the Girl and the Master were exhausted when they left Raedd's House. The Girl from the intensity of her examination, the Master from sheer anger. 

Anger at being forced to use his wife, his own wife, Mahal damn it, in this way, to put her on display in that fashion, to watch some disgusting man touch her, to have to refuse offers to sell her as a pleasure slave, made his blood was boil with sheer rage.

The Girl herself did not seem bothered, but that was just like his Jewel. She was strong, but cheerful. Now she squeezed the hand holding hers, and spoke very softly, 'two things, my Master. One is we have found the missing dwarves, and can hope to free them. Secondly, we are being followed.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all cultures where the terrible practice of slavery existed, these abused people were regarded as livestock. 
> 
> Taking that thought, then, if one can insure say horses, against death or theft one must be able to the same with a slave.
> 
> Speaking of which, dressing and behaving as a slave is very dangerous for the Girl as it could be held she has rejected freedom. Only the fact she is legally married to the dwarf disguised as her Master would save her if their cover is broken.
> 
> Further hints as to the Master's identity and a hint as the Girl's real name, or rather the name she uses in day to day life.


	4. A bit of a filler...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hint to the identity of who follows them. Friend or Foe?

The Master directed a hard glare at the Girl. 'Who?' he asked.

She tipped up her left hand until he could see the tattoo on her wrist.

He nodded, 'aye, him.'

The Girl and her Master continue walking until the see what they are looking for. The huge open air market with all the street food stalls. 

The vendors were all competing for trade, loudly proclaiming their wares. A few groused over having a Slave Girl present, but shut up when her Master paid top price for a semi private place to eat and a lot of choice food and drink.

Sure enough the other tattooed person arrived, another dwarf. 'Did you get in, did you find them?'

'Yes, on both counts, but you knew that.'

'Well, l could hardly refuse the opportunity to see *that* dance.'

Nobody knew quite how to answer that, and the tattooed dwarf chuckled as he dug into the food. Quickly eating his fill, he whispered some advice as he left, 'see you tomorrow, but l'd get indoors and stay there if l were you. Too many people are seeking the Dancing Girl today, by tomorrow they will have forgotten.'

With a wink, the dwarf disappeared. The Master and his Girl finished their meal and disappeared quietly off towards their lodgings, where the Master told the Innkeeper he was not to be disturbed save for bringing up food in the evening.

The Girl had already settled to refresh her mind on the code words and keys that were written to look like two simple books of popular dwarf stories from the First Age. You had to know which sections were relevant for the books to seem to be anything but simple story books.

The Master decided the Girl had the right idea, and joined her, even if it did remind him unpleasantly of the six months of intense training for this mission. Maybe he ought to have let the tattooed dwarf handle it. 

Still, he was here, and it wouldn't do to either forget all the codes, or to loose his temper and lop someone's head off.

'Somebody has a headache, l think,' the Girl smiled and moved to sit behind him on the bed. She pulled him against her, so his head rested against her shoulder, and began to rub his temples and forehead with a scented oil she just happened to put in their baggage. 

'Mahal, lass that's wonderful.'

'So relax, you great idiot.'

He did as asked and felt so much better again as the Girl continued her soothing rub, until he felt almost boneless. The Girl then slid her hands down so she was cuddling him close around his strong shoulders and he heard her soft voice, 'go to sleep, my warrior, there are a few hours before dinner, sleep my love, rest.'

He did, and as he did, he dreamed. He dreamed of things he'd seen and witnessed, and sometimes of things others had told him of. Really, it was all the fault of having sworn allegiance to the King Under the Mountain....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, a filler, no apologies, but we move onto the story proper after this, promise.


	5. Thorin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin and the Girl met, this is set some six years back in time, and although the Master is dreaming it, this and the next couple of chapters are what he's been told, not what he actually experienced.

Thorin was tired, dusty and hungry yet he needed  
to find somewhere to stay after his long journey  
deep into Far Harad.

Hopefully he would find Nori’s agent quickly and be  
able to get back to the Blue Mountains with the  
valuable much needed information that the contacts  
would only give him. For this too, was the reason he  
was traveling alone.

He walked slowly aware that he was not the only Dwarf  
in Arazad, a trading town with a foul reputation, for you  
could buy anything there, mind altering drugs, information,  
hired killers, slaves, children of all Races, you name it, every aspect of life and  
death was up for sale here.

Yes, there were a good number of Dwarves here as he  
had been told, and he only hoped the Slave Girl he  
sought had been given as good a description of himself  
as he had of her.

‘Young, just of Age for Men, not a tall Girl, only this  
high,’ Nori’s lifted hand indicated she would stand about  
Thorin's own height, ‘slender yet,’ and here his gestures  
had indicated a full breasted female, ‘hair coloured like  
dark bush honey, she has a common X brand on her  
left thigh, and oh yeah, her eyes, they're why she’s  
known as Jewel, because her eyes are like emeralds.  
There’s some weird prophecy about a Girl with green  
eyes that’s supposed to be about her too.’

Thorin had not enquired about the prophecy but he did  
wonder if Nori had been as forthcoming in describing  
him to the Girl. In fact Nori had been, curled up in said  
Girl's lap as she checked his recently dislocated shoulder.  
For Nori had once again been arrested relocating certain  
items belonging to other people; this was not carelessness  
on Nori's part, but intentionally so, the jail being full  
he, being a Dwarf (usually considered fairly harmless)  
would be held in the Girl kennels awaiting punishment.  
Good way to make contact with the Girl agents he  
managed. It was simply bad luck he had gotten hurt  
in the process.

Still, all of this thinking was not finding suitable  
accommodation or finding this Slave Girl. Thorin found  
the thought of dealing with Slave Girls deeply  
uncomfortable, even though it was certainly not the  
Girls’ faults they were unfortunately enslaved but to  
deal directly with such abused females and know he  
could do nothing to rescue them from this fate went  
against all his instincts as both a Dwarf and a King  
(alright a King currently without a Kingdom, but Kings  
are supposed to look after others) and Nori had  
warned him it would to hard to cope with watching the  
Girls being subjected to full slave discipline without wanting  
to kill someone. 

What really disturbed him though was some of the  
Girls choosing to remain enslaved after being given the  
chance for freedom so they could continue to gather  
information and pass it on. Thorin felt very humble in  
face of such courage.

So where did he find this Girl? The one with the emerald  
eyes? Stopping at the nearest Inn, a dreadful place called  
The Fell Voice, he learned that the Girls who were owned  
by the town instead of privately, were kept just down the  
road at night, unless they had been hired for more intimate  
duties. 

Not taking a room at that dive, as he had merely stopped  
for an ale, and agreeing with Nori’s advice it was too rough  
a place to stay, he headed for the Girl Kennels. 

A truly disgusting Man was minding the Girl Kennels that  
afternoon, hideously ugly, revoltingly bad mannered and  
smelling to the sky and back again, even though Thorin  
had been some time on the road he did not smell like  
Warg’s vomit.

A little while later Thorin left, with the keys to a vacant  
blacksmiths forge/residence in his hands and the Girl  
from kennel 23 heeling him.

He felt slightly ill at dealing with all the conditions  
existing on paying a ‘Girl Fee’ and the poor Girl  
herself had still been very frightened even after they had  
exchanged coded phrases to each be sure they had  
the right person.

‘Clothes for this Girl, clean ones,’ he snapped impatiently  
at the Kennel guard, unwilling to walk the Girl naked  
through the streets right on dusk. At last a short sleeveless  
dress was procured and a cloak. The Girl looked  
helplessly at these things and Thorin realised with  
growing embarrassment he had to dress her. Trying  
very hard to imagine it was the same as helping to  
dress his sister’s sons when they were kids  
he eventually got the Girl into the dress and slung the  
cloak about her slender shoulders. 

Then out into the streets, the Girl heeling so close on his  
left shoulder he could feel the disturbing softness of  
her bosom against him. Tossing those thoughts aside, he  
realised she was sticking so close because she was so  
scared of the ruffians on the streets. Twice within a few  
minutes Thorin had to draw steel to ward off those  
offering to pay him for Jewel’s services for the night  
even as they made the short walk to their hired lodgings.

He laid his pack down and began to look about the place  
with the Girl who seemed to know the building well, of  
course as the place had lain unoccupied for some time  
there was no food available. The forge seemed quite  
adequate and oddly enough laid out in Dwarf fashion  
rather than that of Men.

‘We will have to go out to eat, and get food for the  
morning,’ she quietly informed him.

‘Where do you suggest?

‘We could go to the Inn across the street for a meal  
but it will be full of ruffians at this hour, Master,’

‘You do not have to call me Master, Jewel,’ he replied  
uncomfortable with her subservient behaviour.

‘I must, in case l am overheard but,’ and her voice  
dropped to a level only one used to whispering to  
a Dwarf would use, ‘maybe l could say this in respect  
of the fact you are a Mastersmith.’

Thorin blinked, the Girl was right. That usage of Master  
he was fine with and he nodded at her. ‘Where should  
we go for our meal then?’ deferring to her greater  
knowledge of the town.

‘The street market will be open within the hour, we can  
get meals at any of the stalls, most are manned by  
people who are at least sympathetic to our cause  
and would let us know if there was danger about. I  
doubt after you so forcefully refusing my services to  
others we will be bothered by that again, and we can buy  
food for the next few days as well.’ Jewel suddenly  
looked embarrassed, ‘but if we eat together publicly l  
will have to sit on the ground by your side and you  
will have to hand feed me.’

Confused, Thorin gave the Girl one of his best intimidating  
stares. 

‘Slave Girls are legally livestock,' she challenged. And  
finally Thorin realised what she meant. He had seen how  
Slave Girls fed directly from their Master’s hands, no plate,  
cup, bowl or spoon, but ate straight from the Master’s  
extended hand and only drank from a cup or glass held  
for them. 

‘Are you sure that will be necessary?’

‘You agreed to hold me under full Girl discipline and the  
Town council will hold you to it.’

‘Very well, very well!’ grumbled Thorin, ‘where do we go  
to find this street market.’

‘I will show you, Master.’

Some time later, Thorin having decided he needed  
a bath and to change out of his travel clothes they  
set out, Thorin naturally wearing armour and carrying  
weapons. The Girl too was armed having found a  
set of small knives in thigh sheaths she had, with  
Thorin's permission put them on and as she did so  
he got a good look at her brand. He felt slightly sick  
again contemplating the type of person who could do  
that to a young woman.

‘Through here Master, please not down that alley, l  
know there will bandits lurking there looking for the  
unwary.’

Accepting the Girl's directions they soon discovered a  
street market where much to Thorin's relief he could  
buy Jewel some stew and bread on a battered tin  
plate as it was so early yet few would see this minor  
breach of discipline but the law still insisted he held  
the cup the Girl drank from; he was so pleased his  
sister was not able to see this for law or no law  
she would have kicked his butt for so disrespecting  
a female.

Having eaten their dinner, Thorin and the Girl, Jewel,  
headed into the rest of the market, buying various  
things, some tools for the forge, the rest Thorin  
would make. Then haggling for some decent clothes  
for Jewel including sturdy boots and trousers which she  
would need as Thorin’s assistant. And food too, quite  
a lot so they wouldn't need to bother shopping for a  
few days.

Back at the old blacksmithy it was early enough  
yet for Thorin to fire up the forge and get a feel for  
it.

‘Come here Jewel, and let me look at your collar,’  
Thorin asked.

She obliged, standing still while Thorin examined her  
collar. ‘Piece of shit,’ he announced, disgusted,  
‘no wonder it chafes your neck.’ Jewel was astounded  
Thorin had even noticed, but then she remembered  
how Nori noticed little things about females so perhaps  
it was a Dwarf thing. 

‘Sit down and don't move,’ Thorin ordered.

Jewel obeyed, and sitting on a small stool she remained  
motionless as Thorin decided rather than cut the collar  
or the small padlock he would take out the hinge pin  
on the back. This done he threw the collar on top of  
a pile of scrap metal, muttering, ‘might make shoes for  
a donkey.’

‘I must wear a collar,’ the Girl pointed out nervously.

‘Yes, l know and soon enough you will,’ Thorin had  
already found what he needed at the bottom of the  
scrap pile, again getting the feeling this place was  
last worked by a Dwarf. However, before long he had  
the basic form of a collar ready to be tried for fit on the  
Girl. Only minor adjustments were necessary before  
Thorin finished the piece adding his mark to show who  
made it then fastened it carefully around the Girl’s neck.

‘If you must wear a collar at least let it be something  
decent,’ Thorin stated.

Jewel raised her hand and felt the smooth surface of  
the collar and turned bowing with a smile of delight  
lighting up her face, ‘thank you Master.’

Thorin acknowledged her thanks with a nod and  
commenced damping down the forge fires for the  
night. 

‘To bed now l think Jewel, as l suspect we will have an  
early start tomorrow.’

She nodded, knowing the town had been without a  
competent blacksmith for a while and likely Thorin  
would find himself overwhelmed with work as they  
waited for a contact from the East to arrive sometime  
in the next 2 weeks or so.

Already Jewel had tidied up the bedroom moving about  
the place with great familiarity. Thorin watched calmly  
an unspoken question in his mind. Quietly she handed him  
a cup of herbal tea and some hard sweet cookies  
she had found in a tin, tasted, and declared still good. 

‘You know your way around this place, as if you may  
have known the previous blacksmith.’

‘Mm, l did. Spent a lot of time here as did a lot of  
Girls. Lofty always had time to hide us or simply  
lie about about our whereabouts if someone was  
hunting us for punishment. In payment we would  
cook and clean for him or work as his assistant. I  
often used to pull the horse’s shoes and prepare .  
their feet for re shoeing.’

Thorin simply nodded and Jewel went on ‘Lofty  
used to claim he was half Dwarf; l don't know  
how true it was but Nori believed him.’

‘Half Dwarf?’Thorin was surprised. ‘I have heard of  
such people but never met one. This makes sense  
given this forge is laid out and designed in dwarf fashion.  
Did this smith ever speak of his family?

‘Yes sometimes, he claimed his Dad was a younger  
son of the ruling family of the l think the lronfist Dwarves  
and his Ma an Easterling. He was apparently quite  
young when his parents died and he came here some  
eighty or so years ago.’

‘This is fascinating,’ Thorin was becoming more  
intrigued as he examined the tools and some half  
finished pieces of work laying about. ‘Did you know  
him well?’

She considered. ‘In the last years of his life as well  
as anyone l guess. He was getting on a bit when l  
knew him, he was a wild chap, you know, he'd get down  
at one of the pubs and start huge bar fights, or he’d  
get in a crazy mood and and take on all comers with  
fists or swords. Spent a fair bit of time locked up.  
Good cook, good smith, nice to the Slave Girls,  
honest, loyal to our spy ring.’

‘What happened to him?’

‘He was killed to stop him passing on a piece of  
information or so those black Easterling bastards  
think.’

Thorin gave the Girl a questioning look. She walked  
over to where the last of the forge fire hissed and  
cracked, ‘but he was still alive when l found him  
and he told me,’ her voice so low he could barely hear,  
‘King Thrain has escaped the Enemy.'

Thorin reacted instinctively and grabbed the Girl  
by her chin and grit out, ‘you had better not be  
Iying.’

There was an almost challenging look in the Girl's  
green eyes as she opened her right hand showing  
Thorin what she held..not the last of the Dwarf Rings  
but another jewel, a hair bead that could only have  
been Thrain’s.

Scooping the bead from Jewel’s hand Thorin released  
her and staggered back, stunned. Blindly he felt for  
a chair he knew was somewhere near only to feel the  
Girl guide him to it, now seated he asked ‘how?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still guessing my dears? Other members of Thorin's Company will slowly start to appear, and new OC's


	6. Information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Girl attends a meeting and gathers intel.Thorin and Nori have a busy day in the forge..plus, Thrain is a Pirate!

Jewel sat. She was unsure how to begin. Thorin was   
glaring at her, arms folded. She cleared her throat and  
spoke slowly. 

‘Your father was a traveler through here, some six months  
ago. He’d gotten away from the Necromancer, the Goddess   
only knows how and ended up being found by agents of  
ours on the outskirts of this town. Luckily, with all the   
Dwarves that come and go here, Thrain was not particularly   
noticed. Most of the Dwarves that get about here are from   
the East and only miners and stonemasons, they don't mix  
with royalty and clearly only thought your Dad some batshit  
crazy old guy of no interest to them.’ 

Thorin's first instinct was to get mad at the description of   
his father as batshit crazy but shut his mouth in the hopes   
of learning more. 

‘We got Thrain out of here with one of my friends and he was  
taken south west down the coast to a pirate’s lair and   
hidden by Black Pete’s crew, last l heard Thrain was first   
mate on the Seafoam, using an alias, Hagin.’

Thorin simply stared, his mind whirling, so he had been   
right in his thinking, Thrain lived.

‘A pirate, you are saying the King Under the Mountain,  
Durin's heir is a pirate?’

‘Um yeah for now at least, we couldn't think of any other  
way to keep him safe and hidden. Thrain liked the idea, he  
reckoned with only one eye he was half way to being a pirate   
anyways.’

‘How in Mahal’s name did you get my father onto a pirate   
ship? 

‘The Girl, Lana, who is one of the Girls we wait for, was   
second mate on the Seafoam before she was captured  
and sentenced to Slavery for the crime of Piracy She has   
the skull and crossbones tattoo and commands the respect  
of Black Pete and his crew. It was she who smuggled your   
father away and through a series of contacts, on to the   
Sea foam. He is safe and not looked for there, and Lana   
will make contact at the right time.’

‘You met Thrain.’ It was not a question, but a statement.

‘True, l did. He was pretty knocked around when l saw him,  
but with rest and good food soon picked up. I didn't know   
who he was until later, until after Lofty was killed for not  
letting that out. We, that is, the Girls, knew a token had   
been hidden and searched long to find it, only 3 other  
people know about what l just gave you, all Girls. Even  
Nori doesn't know.’

Thorin looked at the bead in his hand and for now put it   
in the inside pocket of his coat, above his heart. Tomorrow   
he would get it braided into his hair somehow.

The Girl spoke softly, ‘now l have met you, Master, l can   
see Thrain in you,’ her voice was soft.

Thorin, still trying to deal with everything he had been told   
that evening, declined to answer. 

Finally Jewel packed away the now clean kitchen gear and   
turned to Thorin with a bow.

He responded, ‘if tomorrow proved to be as busy as you think  
it would be best to get some rest.’

‘Yes, Master. I have already made up the bed for you.’

‘And where are you going to sleep?’

She indicated the floor, near the fire. 

‘That will not do,’ said Thorin, and as the Girl prepared to  
object, he continued, ‘l don't care if that is where a Slave Girl  
should sleep, it will not happen here. The bed is well big   
enough for two and l promise not to touch you.’

Jewel let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been   
holding. ‘Alrighty then, but if it gets cold l’m liable to  
snuggle up without realising it. See, that's how Girls   
keep warm at night in the Kennels when it is cold, we  
share body heat.’

For the first time Jewel saw Thorin grin and wondered why  
he didn't lighten up more, he was certainly much less grim  
like this. ‘I think l could survive that.’

Thorin had already taken off the upper layers of his clothes   
and was wearing just breeches and a shirt as he climbed into  
what was actually a quite large bed. Jewel had only her Slave  
Girls dress but it covered most of her to an extant.

Jewel had set up a candle in a safe stand for the night in case  
of a disturbance they had an immediate small light source. All   
other lights were put out and the fire banked by her before   
she too climbed into the other side of the bed.

Now it was quiet and the bed was comfy both Thorin and  
Jewel were soon asleep. Around 3 o’clock dogs started   
barking outside and Jewel got straight up whispering to   
Thorin, ‘there's someone out there!’

Sliding silently to the window, Jewel took a peep out of it.   
The dogs had backed up against the door, which she very  
carefully opened, and in low voice she commanded the   
dogs to come in.

‘Mouse! Blackie! Get in here!’ Her voice was low, but the  
dogs obeyed.

Crowding around the Girl, the dogs were snarling, then   
changed to a whimper, their eyes going from the door to   
the Girl and back again. Finally, their tails began to wag   
slowly.  
‘Sahira’ a Dwarven voice spoke soft.

‘Jack,’ she responded. 

The Girl fumbled the door open, and in walked one Thorin   
had never thought to see here. The Master Spy grinned and  
winked and sat down without being asked. 

Thorin glared, and Nori ignored that. ‘I need to borrow Jewel  
for a couple of hours tomorrow. She needs to be a serving   
wench at a particular meeting, the Girl l would normally use   
is… unsuitable for this placement.

So, l need Jewel at this meeting, we all do, actually.’

‘Forge is likely to be busy once it’s daylight.’

‘True, and luckily l can be back in time to assist you, Thorin.   
I know you're not happy, but Jewel is needed. Only she can  
understand all the Easterling dialects that will be spoken.’

So it was that Jewel, a few hours, dressed in a brief silk  
tunic, emerald coloured like her eyes, her hair decorated  
with silk ribbons and her face delicately made up waited  
tables at a meeting of the Black Easterling warlords.

Carefully responding only to orders in Common, she made  
out she could not speak any of the Easterling tongues but  
she could, and even a smattering of Black Speech. 

The ribbons in her hair, braided through an elaborate style  
of her hair, denoted she was under private hire, only lent  
out for the day and so not to be touched.

Gracefully, she served food and drink, listening hard to the  
talk. She picked up several things that later she would talk  
over with Nori and Thorin.

Jewel was exhausted and relieved when Nori finally   
collected her. She had been delivered in bracelets, her  
hands bound before her and was picked up the same   
way, with the dwarf leading her by the short chain   
between her hands. 

‘We’re both stuffed too, lass, l’ve never seen such a line  
of horses to be shod, or knives to be sharpened.’

‘We could pick up a pot of stew and some fresh bread at  
Luke’s lnn,’the Girl offered, ‘then we only have to eat it  
all up once we get home.’

‘Good idea,’ remarked Nori. At the lnn, he unbound her,  
and gave her the basket of bread and skin of ale to carry.  
Nori himself carried the stew pot, claiming to not want to  
risk the Girl singeing her silk tunic against the hot pot. 

Thorin let them in, he looked tired, and a bit put out till he   
saw what Nori and Jewel carried. In minutes, all three   
were eating good thick stew and crusty bread, the dwarves  
drinking ale, and Jewel cool well water.

She looked at Nori closely. He was not wearing his usual  
tri-pointed hair style, but some braids at the sides of his   
head, and the rest of his hair simply pulled back in a long  
ponytail. His beard too, he’d undone, and simply put a few  
braids into instead of the usual elaborate braiding and  
decorations. Jewel doubted anyone would recognise him   
as the dwarf who usually hung around the seedy Inns and  
gaming Hells.

Hunger satisfied, Thorin, who also looked different with his  
dark hair bound back, asked Jewel, ‘did you learn anything  
useful?’

‘Yes, the talk was again of finding Durin's heirs and eliminating  
them. The Warlords are starting to wonder if this should be  
still left to Azog or if they need to take over. It was eventually   
decided to leave things as they are.

The lonely mountain too, was much talked of, and somebody  
called the Necromancer, who is gathering evil and armies.   
One of the great Warlords, Emir Hassan, thinks an army   
should be sent to taunt the dragon out in an attempt to kill  
him and claim the treasure for the Easterling armies.’

‘We cannot allow that!’ Thorin thumped the table and Nori  
shushed him, ‘l don't believe anyone is listening, because   
the dogs are quiet but we don't know for sure.’

Thorin continued more softly, ‘that is our home, but all the  
treasure could be put to use by our enemies.’

Nori simply nodded. ‘That should be discussed with your  
council, Thorin. They can't get up an immediate expedition   
to Erebor, we could be ready sooner, l think if an effort to  
reclaim the Mountain were to go ahead.’

Thorin agreed. ‘Anything else?’

The Girl hesitated, ‘yes, an extremely concerning thing. It  
is something we Girls have suspected for about three years  
now. You won't like this at all.’ She took a deep breath, ‘at  
a special sale next week, three dwarf women are listed as  
prime merchandise.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, now what? A rescue mission?


	7. Freeing the Lasses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freeing the Dwarf Girls. Be aware there are some slight mentions of non con and child abuse. Nothing graphic, just warning you.

Luckily, there is not too much in a forge that is immediately   
breakable, but, as Jewel discovered, there is a lot of stuff  
two angry dwarves can throw about.

When finally both had cooled down, she popped out from  
behind the door she had been sheltering behind and held  
out a sale notice she had to steal, and hide down the front  
of her slave tunic.

Listing were of various goods and merchandise, but top of  
the bill, three dwarf women, listed as strong, young crafts  
women, trained variously as a jewel smith, a weapons smith  
and a scribe. Nori stared hard at the description of the Scribe,   
could she be his missing little sister?

‘Do you know these women personally? Thorin asked Jewel.

‘No, Master, l don't. I have heard of the young Scribe Girl,  
but not of the others. The thing is we need to free them,  
of course.’

‘What have you heard of the Scribe?’ Nori asked, his voice   
soft, but eyes hard.

‘Girl gossip is that her slave name is Tory, that she is   
underage, but that was some years ago, so probably   
she is of age now, which is likely why she is being sold.   
She came from,’ Jewel’s eyes widened, ‘the Blue Mountains!’

Nori kicked an anvil and yelped. Thorin watched in silence,  
for a long moment, ‘do you think it's possible?’

‘That this my missing sister? Aye, Thorin l do!’

‘Your sister!’ Jewel was astonished.

‘Yes, my little sister Ori. She disappeared without a trace   
ten years ago, only later did l find out she’d been taken by  
Slavers. Ori had began a Scribe’s apprenticeship just a few  
years before she vanished.’

‘Who are the other two, then,’ mused Thorin.

‘Ironfists, it says they are sisters. On display from 9 o’clock  
this evening,’ Jewel read out.

‘We’ll have to buy them,’ Nori suggested. ‘We don't have   
enough reliable people to steal them.

Jewel nodded. ‘What did my hire fetch today?’

‘Five gold pieces, it's a start. Perhaps the Warhorse Inn  
will need a dancer this Friday?’

‘Not for less than fifty,’ Jewel answered. ‘Not with the   
hours they’ll expect.’

Thorin was a bit lost. ‘How expensive do you think  
the lasses will be?’

‘Not cheap. Buying the three, we may be able to get a  
better price, but a trained dwarf jewel smith and weapon   
smith will be at least a hundred gold each. Plus another  
fifty or so for the scribe. I can find fifty. Jewel, the   
emergency fund?’

‘Twenty,’ she responded. 

‘We have about ten from today's business,’ Thorin went  
through his pockets.

‘I will hold five, for things we need, so far we can raise a   
hundred and thirty.’

‘I will have to dance as a busker in the town square but   
surely in six days l can make thirty or so a day,’Jewel  
offered.

‘Yes, you will have to, l think,’ Nori agreed. ‘We can make  
arrangements for that tomorrow, but for now it is nearly   
time for those girls to go on display.’

Exhausted though all three were by a hard day, both the  
Girl and the two dwarves were determined to go and see  
the dwarf women being displayed and try to negotiate for  
their sale.

A short walk to the Market Square was not pleasant with  
comments on Jewel and once again, a couple of enquiries   
as to her hire had both dwarves upset and angry before   
they saw the slaves on the display chain. Three young  
dwarf women were trying to comfort a distressed and  
terrified very young girl of the race of Men. Her golden  
hair and blue eyes indicated she was very probably of  
the Rohirrim. She had drawn the attention of a greasy  
horrible Man who clearly wished to buy the child for  
the purpose of assaulting her.

The Man suddenly realised two enraged battle ready  
dwarves flanked him. Thorin didn't speak, merely   
glaring in an intimidating fashion as Nori pushed the  
Man away from the crying girl, ‘go,’ Nori hissed, and be  
grateful we are letting you live.’

One of the dwarf women looked up then, and gave a   
squeak of recognition. Nori shushed her. Then the same  
woman looked at Thorin with wide, astonished eyes.  
‘My King,’ she whispered in Khuzdul. The other women,  
clearly sisters, looked up astounded. ‘Durin's heir?’ one   
asked. Thorin gave a curt nod in answer.

A small, clean shaven and shifty looking Man approached.  
‘Are you interested? These two are twins, Elspa and Elsba,  
a jewel smith and a weapons smith, this one is Tory, a Scribe.’  
The Man grabbed the young girl, ‘you won’t be interested   
in this one.’

Thorin immediately forced the Man's hands from the   
crying little girl and crouched down in front of her, ‘do  
you have a name little one?’

She just looked in terror at Thorin, and it was one of the  
Twins who answered, ‘her name is Asta.’

Thorin searched his many pockets and found a pocket  
handkerchief, ‘dry your eyes, Asta, you are safe now, l  
won't let anyone hurt you.’ The girl took the handkerchief   
and dried her eyes, but still looked scared. She gave   
Thorin back his handkerchief and scuttled back against   
the dwarf women. 

Nori meanwhile, was haggling hard with the slave trader.   
‘Three hundred and twenty, now,’ the spy master stated,  
‘Fifty immediately, and the rest tomorrow,’ Nori didn't   
want to pawn some of his knives but he would. ‘Ten extra  
if we can take them now.’

‘The little girl as well?’ The Man was not pleased, he felt  
he could get more for her in standing her for auction in a  
weeks time.

‘Her too.’ The Man hesitated, ‘done,’ he said at last. ‘You  
don't want to sell your Girl?’

‘No,’ replied Nori and Thorin together.

‘A pity. How about a couple of hours of her time? I’d pay  
twenty to fuck that beauty.’

‘No,’ said Thorin savagely, ‘and if you ask again l will kill you.’

The Man had gone white with fear, as Thorin had moved at  
tremendous speed to unsheathe his sword, and the point was  
now teasing a few drops of blood from the Man's neck.   
Grumbling, he backed slowly away, ‘it was just an offer to   
make these four cheaper.’

‘It very nearly was the most expensive statement of your life,  
as it nearly cost you your life.’

Nori was helping place the four new Girls and Jewel in a   
coffel for ease of handling, Jewel in front, then his sister,  
then little Asta, then the twin sisters.

‘I will come at ten o’clock tomorrow to finish payment,’  
promised Nori.

Then, Thorin leading, and Nori behind, they walked back  
to the Blacksmiths shop and there Nori freed everyone.  
Only then could he hug his sister, and he did, overjoyed  
at having found her.

Calmly, one of the Twins asked, ‘now what of our fate?’ as  
the other asked more shyly, ‘are you really Thorin   
Oakenshield?’

‘Yes, l am really Thorin Oakenshield,’ he said gruffly. ‘And  
Nori intends to get you out here tomorrow night and on  
your way.’

The more outspoken of the Twins said, ‘we are the nieces of  
Lord Tarlug, chieftain of the Ironfists.’

As Thorin absorbed this, Elspa, the outspoken twin said,   
‘and Asta is the granddaughter of the King of Rohan.’

‘So, you three are political captives, enslaved to humiliate   
your families.’ It was Jewel who spoke, and everyone’s  
puzzled glance went on, ‘me too, l was adopted as a baby  
by the High Emir of the free Easterlings, and stolen a few  
years ago to try to make him give his allegiance to the   
Black Easterlings.’

Jewel turned to Ori, ‘so you just happened to be in the way,  
then Ori?’

‘I think so, but then our captors found out l was a Scribe’s  
apprentice, so l became valuable too.’

Meanwhile, Nori had found some hidden gems to sell. He’d go  
first thing in the morning to sell them and pay the Slave Trader.

Jewel had made a meal for them all, as Thorin spoke to the dwarf  
twins more about their family. By the time he had all the answers  
he needed and Ori had helped convince the twins Thorin really  
was the King, a midnight snack of bread, cheese and soup was   
ready. Jewel and Nori found blankets and pillows for the four girls   
to curl up with and almost immediately they fell deeply asleep.

Nori, Jewel and Thorin stayed up a little while, chatting, the two   
dwarves smoking. ‘So you believe their honour hasn't been   
compromised?’Thorin huffed.

‘It would make no sense for them to have been..assaulted. This  
is the first public sale of these Girls, they would be of more  
value in a pure state. This is not to say they will not have been  
mishandled to an extent.’

Nori said nothing, but his dark eyes filled with anger over what  
his little sister may have suffered. Thorin, however, asked. ‘Jewel,  
you are a city owned slave, a girl available for hire to anyone.   
Have you been?..’

‘Subjected to Slave rape?’ Her voice was low, and icy cold, ‘yes,  
I have. But no one who knows me dares to anymore.’

Both dwarves stared. ‘What did you do?’ Thorin asked after a while.

‘Nothing, but oddly anyone who did…well…strange things have  
happened to them.’

Thorin raised an eyebrow. ‘They ah, tend to die unpleasantly. I  
don't how it happens, it's a mystery to me! So the only people  
who make those sorts of offers don't know who l am.

Nori confirmed this with a cheeky wink, and, his questions   
answered for now, Thorin settled down to sleep. The morning   
would see another early start!

Indeed 6 o’clock saw everyone up, dressed and breakfast well  
under way. By seven, Nori had left to pawn a few things and  
finish payment for Asta and the dwarf Girls. Having done that,  
Nori made arrangements for their papers of freedom. This was  
made considerably easier given none of the four were branded.

It was midday when Nori got back, and Thorin and Jewel were  
tired from a busy morning. The flow of customers had stemmed  
a bit, and the three now free dwarf lasses had made a simple  
lunch which everyone enjoyed. 

‘We’ll close mid afternoon,’ Thorin decided. ‘That will give us time,  
Nori, to organise you departure after dark with the lasses.’

‘Already hired ponies and some warriors as guards, all Blacklock   
and Stonefoots known to me, part of our Ring. Some plan to go  
onto Dain’s people and stay there. There's a couple of warrior  
maids so our lasses will feel more comfortable traveling than  
with an all male group.’

‘Jewel, do want to go too?’ Thorin surprisingly asked.

‘I thank you for the thought, Master. I cannot go, l am not yours  
to free. Having a branded, runaway Slave with the travelers is   
going to bring attention, to see them hunted down. One day,  
my turn will come.’ The Girl seemed calm and at peace with  
the need to stay a Slave for now.

The travelers organised, they left before midnight, a group of   
twelve, all up. ‘I will wait here until you return, Nori,’ said Thorin.

‘Beware that our contact will likely arrive before then, Jewel   
will identify her for you.’

Thorin nodded, ‘just hurry back, Nori.’

‘You two will be fine, just trust Jewel. She’ll not lead you astray!’  
The Spy Master grinned as he disappeared into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So l made Ori a girl. Kill me or not as you like


	8. Meeting Slave Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We go from the past to the present again, to see all the Company meeting Jewel and very special friend of hers.

Thorin and Jewel were up with daylight, eating a cold   
breakfast. As on the previous morning they were soon busy  
as bees, Jewel pulling off horse shoes and preparing the  
horses hooves for new shoes, holding the horses for  
Thorin, keeping the forge fire up to the level Thorin needed.

They worked straight through lunch, then at mid afternoon   
closed for business as also on the previous day, feeling   
this routine would soon become established amongst   
the customers.

The next days passed quietly, until there was a knock  
on the door just past sundown, a coded knock that Jewel   
responded to, also in code. A Girl stood outside, a well  
built tall Girl, with soft blonde hair, and grey-blue eyes,   
the Girl gave an impression of bulk and great strength   
without being overweight.

The Girl ducked into the room, going down on one knee  
before Thorin, greeting him as Crown Prince. ‘I bring a   
message from your father, King Thrain.’

Jewel stepped forward, ‘this Girl is Lana, once of the crew  
of the Seafoam.’

Lana bowed toThorin, ‘l bring word of your father, King  
Thrain and this message.’ Lana held out a small, rather  
grubby piece of paper, which Thorin read through a few  
times before burning it.

‘How is my father?’

‘He is fine, Master, well, content to be where he is for   
now, actually l think he’s having fun, to be truthful!’

Thorin actually laughed at that. ‘When l was a little lad,  
Father once told me he'd wanted to be a pirate when he  
was a lad. It seems he has finally got his wish!’

‘Of course,’ said Lana, ‘the Seafoam only raids Black  
Easterling ships.’

‘Of course,’ Thorin replied, wondering if his father still  
had the last, and the most powerful, dwarf ring of power.  
The note Thorin had received had not contained any  
sensitive information, but was simply a greeting and and a   
wish and hope to see Thorin soon. 

The thing was, Thorin was stuck where he was until Nori  
got back. Oh well, he, Thorin, would simply have to be  
patient, which dwarves were never good at, still at least  
he could keep busy here.

Nothing much happened until Nori returned a month or   
so later, looking tired as he’d traveled hard. Staying one  
night only, he and Thorin headed out early the next day  
after returning Jewel to the public kennels. Thorin had   
tried hard to get the Girl to run away with them, but she  
refused, again saying her chance would come.

********************************************************************************

The Girl woke her Master. ‘We need to go down to dinner  
with Nori,’ she explained.

He nodded, agreeing. 

Dinner was uneventful, even boring. Nori disappeared soon  
after, to a gaming hell he knew, one where the Croupiers were  
all Girls that were always full of good intell. 

The Master and the Girl went back to their room, and there the  
Girl occupied herself with mending a dancing costume, and the  
Master sat in an armchair by the fire, smoking as a troubled  
Dwarf will do, smoking and thinking, thinking of the past, and  
trying to decide if anything from when he first met the Girl  
was relevant to now. 

His pipe went out, the Girl laid down to sleep, the fire died to  
ashes. Still the dwarf sat, thinking. Perhaps if he started back  
when he first met the Girl, then maybe he would remember   
something important.

********************************************************************************

Once again Balin wondered what the Company was  
doing here, so far South. There seemed to be nothing   
but trouble coming of this, and he disliked so many  
people who were not Dwarves knowing of the Quest  
for Erebor and worse yet the matter of Thorin's father.

As they hiked up the dusty track towards the Town  
visible through the heat haze, Balin heard Nori give   
a shrill whistle. Two figures diverged from their path,   
jogging towards the Dwarves.

Two Slave Girls..to Balin’s shock wearing nothing but  
metal collars and a scrap of cloth knotted about their  
hips, and a brief halter top approached closer yet and then  
Balin could see the brands each Girl bore upon her left   
thigh. Both Girls happily greeted Nori, who to Dori’s   
horror seemed to know these half naked females quite   
well. To just about everyone's shock Thorin seemed to  
know the smaller Girl but had to be introduced to the taller  
one.

‘She is Raven, or Blackbird’ the smaller Girl said to  
Thorin and he seemed to know who was being spoken  
of as Nori informed the rest of the Company of the   
fact these Girls were two of his top agents.

‘Who is this lass, then?’ asked a Dwarf wearing a  
weird hat, indicating the smaller Girl.

Said Girl turned, bringing her hands together and   
tipping them up so her fingers were under her chin  
as she inclined her head in a bow, ‘my name, Master   
Dwarf, is Jewel or Yedith, code name Sahira.’

The dwarf looked her over carefully, then brought his  
cheeky gaze back to her eyes, ‘pretty code name, that.’

‘Bofur, it means witch,’ said an amused Nori. ‘Jewel is a  
magic worker and witch woman, what she calls a   
shaman.’

Bofur looked stunned. He managed to say, ‘this lovely  
young lass is a witch? I don't believe it!’

Jewel winked at Nori who gave her a go ahead signal  
‘maybe l could turn you into a Newt, Master Bofur,’  
she suggested, her gaze open and innocent.

At this the other Girl chipped in, ‘and maybe in time  
you’d get better.’

Confused Bofur stammered, ‘a..a newt?’ The look on  
his face was priceless.

‘She's a witch, she's a witch, may we burn her,’  
murmured Raven.

‘Not now Raven, we have no scales to see if she   
weighs the same as a duck,’ replied Nori, looking  
highly amused.

The rest of the Company looked bewildered as Nori   
continued to explain this was all part of a joke   
performed by traveling minstrels.

‘Be that as it may,’ Thorin broke in, ‘these Girls must  
get back to town and inform others of our arrival.’

‘Yes Master,’ responded Jewel.

Raven grinned widely, her black eyes twinkling   
‘Jack is back with the whole pack!’ We’ll tell the rest of  
our mob! The Girls left then, hand in hand, alternately   
running and skipping but moving at a surprisingly fast pace.

Behind them a mostly bewildered Company of Dwarves   
watched the Girls disappear in a cloud of dust.

Several hours later..Fili, Kili and Gloin had been sent to   
hire Jewel and Raven while the rest of the Company   
settled into the old blacksmithy Thorin used a few months  
back.

The Girls arrived, and were lead by in Fili and Killi grumbling   
about having to handle the Girls in a restrained state. Both  
Girls wore heavy manacles and full chains which Nori   
immediately removed. The Girls wore strange garments,   
piece of cloth some 18 inches in width, with a large hole in  
the middle through which the Girls had put their heads,   
leaving most of their backs, and a good portion of their   
chests uncovered. At front and rear the short drape of   
the fabric fell down to high thigh height, their brands clearly   
visible, both Girls wore a double wrap of chain at their waists   
that more or less held the garments in place but still left an   
awful lot on display. 

Nori gave the Girls a quizzical look, ‘l didn't expect you two  
to be wearing chain belts!’

‘Apparently,’ Raven answered, ‘it is considered that you   
Dwarves are unable to keep us under restraint without help.’

‘So a suitable method is provided,’ finished Jewel.

Nori explained to the other Dwarves, ‘the Girls wear the  
chain belts so they can easily be chained by their collars  
to a tie up ring or,’ and here the Girls demonstrated   
that with binding straps their hands could bound to the  
chain belt either before or behind them.

All the Company looked disgusted but it was Bifur who   
spoke, a short burst of Khazdul. Both Girls looked at  
Bofur who translated, ‘why would we need to know these  
things?’

Thorin answered, ‘we have agreed to keep the Girls under  
full discipline and that means they have to be restrained when  
leaving them in public places, not leave here without a   
member of the Company with them, and they must be led or   
heel you.’

Nori then used the Girls to show how they should be led, by   
the hand or with the Master’s hand through the girl’s collar or   
chain belt. A chain or rope could also be tied to the girl’s  
collar or chain belt and the Girl controlled in such a way.

Then heeling, Nori using Raven to demonstrate, all   
the Dwarves practiced with both the Girls, how to give   
the commands and how to get a closely heeling Girl  
to walk in step with the Master commanding her, and how  
to work with Girls in weaponry if a fight occurred with   
a Girl in very close quarters. Finally Nori and the Girls  
showed how to tie up and restrain a Girl, Nori again  
insisting everyone know how to do this. Once Nori was   
satisfied, the Girls moved on to other things.

‘Shall we,’ asked Jewel. Nori nodded and Raven   
reached up into the back of a tall cupboard and   
started handing things down to Jewel and Nori.

A deck of cards, silk wrapped. Another piece of cloth  
clearly containing some small objects. A bag of coins   
and a map, the last two Nori handed onto Thorin and  
the other things Jewel laid on a table and unwrapped.

She smiled as she revealed her divination tools, hidden  
away for more than a year. Her crystal pendant caught  
Kili's eye and he lifted it for a closer look, letting the   
pendant swing loose on the dangling chain, and  
suddenly as it swung the chain seemed to  
fuse solid and it swung North and pointed that way. Kili  
yelped dropping the chain as the whole thing glowed   
white hot. 

Jewel and Raven laughed while everyone else was still,  
‘What in Mahal’s name is that? Kili blew on his burnt fingers,  
wondering. ‘Something you don't touch without   
permission l’d wager,’ said Balin.

‘True,’ laughed Jewel, and held up the deck of cards.   
‘Anyone willing to touch these?’ Nori took them out  
her hands swiftly and shuffled them several times   
before knocking the whole deck on end twice and  
laying them in front of Jewel. He watched her with  
one eyebrow quirked in a question. 

She split the deck into three piles which she reassembled   
following Nori’s instructions. Then she checked the bottom  
card on the deck, noting it was the ten of swords. ‘Ah, the   
nightmare card,’ she whispered. ‘So, is it nightmares or a   
nightmare situation?’ Nori's face remained blank as Jewel  
dealt off the top six cards into a circular spread. 

‘The Devil, heart of the reading, obsession and evil,’ she   
noted. ‘The past, 10 of chalices, home and family, a long   
forgotten happy time.’

‘5 of pentacles, sorrow, hard work, poverty, the present.’

‘The Sun, the future, happiness and prosperity.’

‘The outcome,’ Jewel shivered, ‘Death, and the 10 of  
swords as what is hidden..the chance of someone   
dying is strong.’

‘And lastly, what to look out for..the Moon, deception and   
madness.’

‘What the hell did you ask?’ Jewel thought hard, ‘the   
Quest to Erebor?’ she asked low. Nori gave a brief nod.

‘Well, the heart of the reading makes sense because   
that has to mean Smaug. The rest too is easy to read,  
the coming of the Dragon, current difficulties, an outlook  
of good fortune but beware, the chances of death are   
high. Trust no one, keep your own council and you may  
succeed.’

Nori gathered the cards and laid them away. ‘Perhaps you  
should show Kili the right use for that pendant.’

‘Here is the cloth,’ and Raven unrolled a black cloth, about  
two feet square, and marked with a white circle. Various  
inscriptions were drawn about the circle, things like yes, no,  
beware, evil intentions and many others. A symbol of the  
flaming sun sat at the centre. 

‘Well want to try again and see how the pendant is meant  
to work? The pendant was held out to a reluctant Kili, sure  
he was about to burned again.

‘It won't burn you this time, Kili, it will answer your  
questions.’

Very tentatively Kili reached for the pendant which did not   
burn him, instead Jewel showed him how to hold the   
pendant so the thing was free to swing on it's chain, Kili's   
elbow resting on the flaming sun symbol. Raven gave Kili  
Instructions on how to ask questions and watched as  
Kili, entranced by the thing asked all manner of stuff  
including if Thorin had ever figured out who put glue in his  
boots years ago. 

Bored after a while Kili tried to control the Pendants swing   
to give joke answers to things only to have the chain go  
solid and the Pendant go white hot again. Dropping the   
Pendant for the second time that day he glared at Jewel.  
‘It is not a toy to be played with,’ was her response, and Kili   
pulled an unhappy face. 

‘Give me a look at your hand, dear me, you do have a couple  
of burns, go put your hand in the cold water for a few minutes   
then l’ll put on a salve and bandage it for you.’

Soon, Kili's hand was treated and he and Fili, having felt their  
Dwarven honour had been shamed by walking shackled Girls   
through the streets started to question Nori.

‘We disgraced ourselves by treating the Girls with such   
disrespect!’ argued Fili.  
‘Not so,’ Jewel came in on the conversation. Surely you can  
see it is protection, maybe an extreme form, but there it is.’

Raven too nodded, ‘you tie us up to a slave ring, we there when   
you get back. Lead us about, have us heel you, you know where  
we are always.’

‘Even hand feeding Girls in public is for our protection, to make  
sure we get fed properly, and yes, their are some people who   
would poison Girls, so by being hand fed the Girls can be safe  
from this,’ Jewel adds.

Nori had silently agreed with everything said so far. ‘It seems   
weird, the way the Girls are treated but as they say much   
of it is extreme protection. It’ll be easier if you two think of if   
that way too. Now Thorin has asked us five to go do some  
scouting about, and lads you get to handle the Girls so pick   
your lass.’

After some minor squabbling, and pushing between Fili and   
Kili, and some complaining of, ‘why us,’ which Thorin  
answered by saying they needed to learn responsibility,   
Filli agreed to handle Raven and Kili, Jewel. They would   
swap over on the way back.

Nori took two yellow ribbons he had found in a cupboard and  
once the Girls had changed into their brief slave dresses he tied  
a ribbon to each Girl's collar. This caused great interest among  
the Company with Nori explaining this was a reasonably new  
rule, that Girls wearing a yellow ribbon were not be touched  
or punished without their owners or handlers permission.

The small group headed out, Nori leading the way followed by  
the brothers, each leading a Girl by the hand. They would met up  
with the others later in the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the Master is still being very shy. Not   
> talking much..l will eventually make him reveal himself..l just got a death glare for that.
> 
> Oh, and the story of the divination pendant whose chain swung, went rigid and then red hot is true. It happened to a friend of mine who was fooling around with some of my things. Needless to say, he didn't do it again!


	9. Girl Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili's cheekiness and sense of honour get him into hot water.

Having completed their errand, Kili and Fili  
met up with most of the Company, for lunch.  
Many others flocked around the market and  
food stalls, buying goods and selecting from  
the array of pre cooked foods.

One Man was punishing a Girl who wore both  
bracelets on her wrists, and chains on her  
legs. She had seemed sad, so Kili had given  
his best cheeky wink and matching smile. The  
Man’s reaction had astonished Kili, and he  
quickly had enough of simply watching this  
outrageous behaviour. It was not the Girl’s  
fault she had smiled back at him, lasses of  
both Dwarves and Men always found his wink  
irresistible, so why the big lout who owned the  
Girl was beating her was beyond the Dwarf’s  
understanding.

However, there was something he could do  
about the big ugly bully so he did. He strode forward  
and punched the Man hard in the gut. Now, Kili  
could punch hard, and he had the satisfaction  
of watching the bully go down crumpled up.  
Unfortunately he didn't notice the other Man who  
appeared from behind Kili and hit him hard on the  
back of the head with the hilt of a knife.

Kili was nearly out cold, unable to really move  
yet aware of all that was going on. The beaten Girl  
bent down to touch his head and all but purred  
as she announced ‘Girl Claim.’ 

From behind came a blur of movement and colour,  
dark honey coloured hair, and the fringes of a green  
scarf tied about the hips of an otherwise naked  
Girl who lit down from a wild leap over Kili, her  
hand resting lightly on his shoulder, her voice the  
snarl of a lioness protecting her cub, ‘Quit Claim.’

The crowd of mostly drunken Men erupted, ‘Girl  
Fight, Girl Fight, Girl Fight,’ they shouted. The  
Girl who had claimed Kili laughed as the rest of  
the Company sprang into action, Filli and Oin  
attending to Kili, Ori and Nori sent to find Thorin  
and the rest physically restrained the Girl who  
had protected Kili from launching an immediate  
attack on the other Girl. Dori of course was  
fussing as usual.

Next thing,Thorin arrived, with Balin and Dwalin  
in tow, and all three started demanding loudly  
to be told what was going on. The Captain of the  
Guard in this horrible trading town approached  
Thorin and there was a brief conversation.

Angrily Thorin approached the still struggling Girl,  
‘what’s this about a fight.’ Jewel stopped struggling,  
and stood up to face the fuming Dwarf quietly, ‘l have  
to fight Maggie for Kili’s life.’

Everyone’s face registered different degrees of shock,  
anger and disbelief. Thorin was struck speechless by  
Jewel’s announcement and it was Balin who found his  
voice and spoke, ‘just how does that come to pass?’

‘Because Maggie ‘claimed’ Kili for his defence of her,  
her Master can now take possession of Kili unless l  
fight, and beat, Maggie. Maggie and her Master answer  
to a Black Easterling Captain and they would be  
intending to torture Kili for anything he knows of our  
spy ring then kill him. The only way to stop this is for  
me to fight Maggie, now.’

Thorin had now found his voice again, ‘just what does  
this fight entail?’

‘No weapons, just fists, feet, teeth and so on. Girls  
fight naked, mostly to stop us taking knives into  
the ring. Ten five minute rounds after which if we are both  
still able to stand and fight, judges will decide who  
wins. Girls are not to try to kill, disfigure, or permanently  
disable each other. Outside those rules, anything goes.  
Don't worry, l can take the bitch, she's never beaten  
me in a kennel fight yet.’ Jewel gave a savage grin,  
‘kennel fights have no rules.’

‘And if you don't fight?’

‘As l said, Kili will be killed for what he may know, Maggie's  
Master would give nearly anything to have one of the  
Company to question so l will fight the cow and beat  
the shit outta her too.’

Thorin and Balin had brief discussion then Thorin turned  
to Jewel, ‘what do you need to do to be ready to fight?’

The jeering Men were ready to take Kili away as Jewel  
answered, ‘l will have to be body searched by someone  
from the Company in front of the appointed referee and  
then I would like my fists bound for fighting and to have  
Oin check me out between rounds. Other than that l do  
have a plan which l can tell you.’

Another Girl, Raven, the second girl the Company had  
hired, a tall girl with jet black short curly hair, wide deep  
brown laughing eyes and skin the colour of brown ochre;  
she spoke directly to Thorin, ‘Mister, this Girl and Lana  
and Raign have been asked to watch over and care for  
Mister Kili until the fight is over; we shall take him over  
there, by the door to the stables and don't worry, Jewel is  
deadly and will kick Maggie’s arse.’

Thorin nodded his thanks and strode to where Oin,  
Gloin, Bofur and Nori were arguing over who was  
going to do the thorough body search of the Girl,  
Jewel, as required by the fight referees. ‘Master  
Thorin,’ she called softly, ‘l will need my collar taken  
off please.’ He stiffened, then nodded before heading  
towards the forge the Company had been using to  
collect tools.

Jewel remained very still as Thorin removed the pin from  
the hinge at the back of her collar, allowing the collar  
to be opened and removed. Thanking Thorin with a  
bow, she walked to Oin and asked him to please wrap  
her hands for fighting. The fight referee was there, to  
ensure nothing was put the Girl’s hand wrappings that  
should not be there. Now for the matter of checking  
her hair and mouth etc, to see she was not carrying  
concealed small blades. Gloin and Nori carried out this  
service, again, in front of a referee.

Questions were raised about whether the other Girl,  
Maggie, was fit to fight. Oin laid these to rest, having  
examined Jewel’s opponent himself. Actually, Oin was  
angry after looking at Maggie for it was clear her ‘beating’  
had largely been a show.

‘See,’ remarked Jewel, ‘Maggie’s handler would give  
much to have one of the Line of Durin to question.’

From his place under the verandah Nori nodded, ‘set up  
for sure,’ he offered.

For now, double crossing and treachery would have to  
wait as the fight was due to start. Just as Jewel was  
heading to the make shift ring that had been put up,  
she was halted by Dori who insisted on tying up her  
hair so it would not interfere with the fight.

Soon both girls faced each other in the ring, Jewel  
drawing a line in the dusty ground for Maggie to step  
over as the challenge that would start the fight.

Maggie stepped forward over the line and the referee  
declared the first round started. Maggie opened with  
a round kick at Jewel which did not connect; both Girls  
were cautious in this first round, testing for each other's  
weaknesses. Circling and snarling the Girls didn't fight  
much in this first round, but Jewel noticed Nori continuing  
to take bets with Ori recording everything.

Resting between rounds Jewel assured Oin she knew  
what she doing, ‘next round will heat up, l’m going to  
let Maggie think she's injured me badly.’

‘Sadly?,’ queried Oin, ‘indeed it will be sad if you are  
hurt!’ Jewel sighed and patted Oin’s arm, ‘l will be fine,’  
she answered. ‘Wine?’ said Oin, startled ‘no silly,’ she  
giggled, ‘we don't have any wine!’ Gloin rolled his eyes  
at his older brother’s mistakes and saw Jewel back into  
the fighting ring.

This round the Girls quit fooling round and fought quite  
seriously, ending up toe to toe slugging it out like male  
prize fighters. Most of the Company were impressed by  
Jewel’s ability to hit hard and to take a hit too, but she  
did give a weight advantage to the other Girl and that  
began to tell as Jewel was pushed to the ring ropes  
where she covered her face with her hands, her arms  
pulled in across her chest, shielding herself.

The second round ended with Jewel sporting a black  
eye, complete with a cut eyebrow and bruised ribs.  
‘Don't worry,’ she grinned at Thorin, ‘that was intentional,  
l’ve tired that bitch out now and by pretending to be hurt  
worse then l am l will KO her in the next round.’

Frustrated, Thorin started to berate her, ‘look at  
Maggie,’ she whispered, ‘worse off than me! I’m fine,  
Thorin, get ready for the end of the fight.’ He scowled  
and stood back as the referee declared round three started  
and Jewel was not stuffing about; within seconds she  
allowed herself to put back on the ring ropes with Maggie  
thinking she was easy prey.Yeah right! Jewel let Maggie  
get careless then SLAM she struck with a right cross that  
crumpled the bigger Girl in a heap at her feet. Grabbing  
hold of Maggie's hair she dragged the larger Girl and threw  
her at the referee’s feet before turning to stalk back  
towards the Company. Oin began to check her over for  
serious injuries and Dwalin tossed his spare cloak around  
her as she was shivering now, and not from cold.

‘How is Kili?’ she asked in a tired voice. ‘Better than you,’  
grumbled Oin. Out of the corner of her eye Jewel saw Nori  
and Gloin collecting on the Company's fight bets with Ori  
checking everything in her ledger.

‘Let's get over to Kili, it will be easier for me to check you  
both over together,’ advised Oin. Jewel was going to walk,  
but Oin shook his head knowing how many hard blows she  
had taken. ‘Carry her, could you, Dwalin?’

‘No way, l can walk,’ she objected, in vain as Dwalin  
simply lifted her straight off her feet, the burly warrior  
carried her as easily as if she were weightless.

Set down next to Kili, she saw he was now fully  
conscious if pale and quiet. Raven spoke to Oin, ‘l  
checked his head wound, his skull is not cracked  
just badly bruised and Lana agrees we should stitch  
the cut.’ Oin nodded, ‘and Jewel needs attention, she  
will not admit it but she needs to be stitched above her  
right eyebrow and her hands need attention too.’ 

Raven helped Lana stitch Kili’s head wound, it needed  
several stitches but finally the Girls sat back happy Kili  
was treated as well as possible with Raven laughing  
that Kili was lucky all Dwarves have thick heads.

As Lana headed back to the Girl Kennels she farewelled  
the Company's Girls and their friend Raign who would be  
collected by her own private Master. Jewel of course  
stayed with Oin, arguing she didn't need medical  
attention.

Thorin as Leader of the Company who hired her, over ruled  
her objections, and soon Jewel was stitched, bandaged and  
clothed again.

Balin approached the Girl softly, with his usual calm  
manner, ‘Thorin is rightly pissed off with you, lassie,  
you, you should not have risked yourself like that and  
now Thorin is complaining Kili owes you a life debt.’

Jewel simply scowled in response, aware it was  
pointless to argue with a stubborn Dwarf.

‘Well,’ whatever,’ she said at last. ‘All that is due to  
my Oath to the Spy Ring,’ she held out her left hand to  
Balin, showing him a scar across her palm. 

‘A blood oath?’ Balin was surprised. ‘Nori demanded  
that?’

Jewel gave a strange, twisting shrug, ‘why not since  
Nori had to do the same with his superiors?’

Things were getting weirder and weirder, and Balin  
wondered once again if any of the Company should  
be here, looking for aid in their upcoming quest or indeed  
consorting with strange beings like Slave Girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, where did this come from? Don't know, l guess Kili just loves trouble.


	10. Dancing Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jewel's dancing skills are used to advantage and further hints to the Master's identity given. A longish chapter.

The Master woke, stiff from having slept in the chair, standing up and stretching he worked the kinks from his back. He bent over and woke the Girl curled up at his feet by picking her up. 

She wriggled and complained until he put her down on the bed, and got in beside her. It was a cool night, somewhere after midnight, and the town was quiet with most people asleep.

The Girl had been cold, and now she snuggled up against her Master, seeking his warmth, and, he gathered her close to make sure she was comfortable.. this of course led to other things and so to the pair of them sleeping in only to be woken by an annoyed Nori, knocking loudly on their door. 

'Get up you two layabouts! Jewel has to dance today, or have you both forgotten? I'll get some food sent up and you two better get dressed and organised!' The Master threw his boots at the smaller dwarf, who ducked, laughing and disappeared. 

An hour and a half later, Jewel was wearing a red dancing costume, a black hip scarf and coin belt. She was veiled, belled and standing in a prime spot in a busy local street, with Nori who held her buskers ticket.

As the passers by threw coins Jewel would dance, whirling about to the music of her zills. Crowds came and went, but the pile of coins grew. Three times Men brought girls to challenge Jewel, to see who was the best dancer. Three times she was the best dancer, and three times Nori cashed in big betting.

By the time the street began to empty as the day ended and people began to go home, Jewel had earned quite a lot of money. She walked in front of Nori, the chain she wore was held by Nori, and she would use it to entangle any thieves that might think it worthwhile to try to rob them.

They were met by the Master who had spent the day at the preliminary talks for the great meeting of Easterlings to be held the next week. The Dwarves had been asked to attend, hoping for an alliance with the Black Easterlings to rid Middle-earth of elves. Much though the Master distrusted elves, no one wanted more power given to the Black Easterlings, so he and Jewel were here to see how much information they could discover, or buy.

One extra task was the freedom of the Dwarf work slaves. 'How much?'asked the Master.

'Enough that l can use it to great advantage on gaming tables tonight. Jewel was magnificent, as usual,' grinned Nori. 

As the three entered the Inn Jewel and the Master stayed in, they were approached by the owner, 'so your Girl is the dancer everyone has been praising to the skies. How much?'

'She's not for sale.' the Master growled. 

'No, to hire to dance in the common room for a couple of hours every evening. She'll not be handled or annoyed here, she's just to dance, circulate around the room, and draw patrons. Ten percent of each night's takings should prove to be a tidy sum.'

Back in Erebor, the Master had plenty of money, but he couldn't bring too much with him for fear of robbery, so the thought that Jewel could earn serious money was reassuring. 

The terms of hire confirmed, Jewel changed and readied herself. She would not eat until later, when she would eat well at the Inn's expense.

The Master watched her, remembering the first time he saw her dance for hire.That time had nearly cost Jewel her life, and it was also how she came to be, for a short time, owned by the Company.

****************************************

'I could easily earn eighty gold coins or more tonight, Thorin,' the Girl argued. 'Raven will be on the floor serving, Lana will be with the stage crew, changing the settings for the singers and entertainers, Raign and her Master are two of the entertainers. I only need appear between sets, and there will be all those people to help me if l need it. All you Dwarves will have enough to do watching out for the contact.'

'How will you be dressed?' Thorin asked.

'Coin scarf, body chains and a small bag around my neck for the patrons to put coins in.'

Raven spoke then, 'at least tell them everything, my slave sister, that the men who give you coins will expect some compensation, they will expect to touch you.'

Every dwarf looked stunned and angry. 'We can't have that!' snapped Dori. 'Jewel needs someone to protect her, to stop that happening.'

The Girl shook her head, 'l'll be fine, I've done this before..' she stopped speaking as she felt a strong hand take gentle hold of her left hand, and she turned towards the last person she thought would doing this, 'it's too much for we dwarves to think of lass, you being touched in that way just for a few coins.' It was Bofur holding her hand, concern for her clear on his normally cheerful face. 

'I'll stay with you,' he offered, 'and look after you. Anyone trying to touch you will get dealt with.'

Jewel stared at the miner, and brushed her hand across her eyes; she'd unexpectedly teared up at Bofur's words, slave girls were not used to such consideration or kindness. Bofur took a step nearer to her to slip an arm around her waist and comfort the Girl, and she turned towards him as he leaned towards her for a kiss. 

Startled though she was, for although the conditions she and Raven were kept under meant being touched and handled often by the dwarves, none of them had ever offered her a kiss, so although Jewel didn't refuse Bofur's kiss she felt confused by her reaction to what was clearly meant simply to comfort her.

Nobody else appeared to think it odd Bofur kissed Jewel so she decided it was best to just go on with her preparations. 

Raven was painting intricate designs on her hands and face with very fine brushes. Larger brushes were used to paint swirling designs on her slim form. The arrangement of the chains took some time, Raven fiddling with them for ages until she was satisfied.

Eventually, long chains hung down from her collar at the back to her waist, at the front shorter ones to emphasise her full breasts.

Several chains were slung casually about her waist and hips over the yellow and red coin encrusted scarf she had tied tightly about her. 

Long chains also hung from one of the hip chains, back and front, almost to the ground. Belled, locked, wrist and ankle bracelets chimed as the Girl walked lightly by Bofur's side to the dance floor. She would start the evening's entertainment, which, being held in the entertainment area of a great slave House, was only open to males and Slave Girls. 

Once on the dance floor, however, Jewel was directed onto a large square table, where her hands were fastened with a yard or so of light chain between them. From this Jewel concluded that she was to perform a capture dance, commonly freshly caught girls were danced chained, and high, up on display, this dance also needed to portray the anguish and fear of the new Slave, hoping to avoid the brand, praying for the miracle of release from her bonds. Jewel was to imitate this dance for the pleasure of the audience of leering Men.

There would be no music for this dance, Jewel realised, as she looked at the silent musicians, and began to sway. Suddenly she broke left, darting across the table as if trying to evade a capture loop. She darted back, rolling as if to avoid another loop, then was back on her feet, suddenly she struggled, trying to throw off yet another imaginary loop that caught her. Down onto the tabletop the Girl went, as if struggling wildly with her captor. 

Now she knelt, her hands as if bound before her, her head bowed, her hair flung forward before her, as if to her new Master's feet. Suddenly it seemed as if she were yanked to her feet and struck several times, writhing, with an imaginary whip.

Now weeping and collapsed on the tabletop Jewel lay panting in fear as the patrons began to shout, 'dance her, dance her, dance the new slave,' pounding on the floor and tables. 

A Slaver employed by the House went to haul Jewel off the table, when Bofur, angry, pushed the Man away and instead lifted Jewel off the large table and carried her to the dance floor where he put her back on her feet. From somewhere Bombur appeared, pushing his way through the crowd to bring a large mug of cool fruit juice for Jewel, Bofur held the mug for her and she drank gratefully. 

Bifur had his cousin's hat was walking around letting the Men throw coins in it for Jewel's dance. A tall blond Slaver was checking the contents and shaking his head. Bifur walked around the crowd again, more coins rattling into Bofur's hat until the Man nodded. There were nearly one hundred gold coins; the House would take ten percent, the dwarves would keep the rest. 

The blond Man then unchained Jewel's hands, and replaced the chain with a longer one attached only to her right wrist. 

Bofur stood in front of the Girl scowling. 'Fear not dwarf, your Girl will not be harmed or stuck, l will only direct her with the chain,' the Slaver promised.

The Man then verbally directed Jewel to her knees and she began to sway slowly before bending backwards to lay on the ground, her legs doubled beneath her, then she sat up and went back down, her hands held in front of her until the Man used the chain to indicate she needed to do more, so she knelt up high, her hands now above her, her hips twisting. 

Then abruptly, she was lifted to her feet, and as if in a doomed, desperate, final attempt to escape, she danced off in a quick series of twist steps only to be pulled back by the wrist chain. 

Then, the Man using the length of the chain to control her movements, Jewel went to different patrons and danced before them, begging through her dance for release. The Men laughed and drove her back to the blond Slaver who pretended to punish her with the short whip he carried, yet the Girl reacted as if hit, flinching and crying out. 

On she danced, being directed again into floor work, before being allowed to stop, at the Slavers feet she lay on her back, her hands by her sides, her right leg flexed, her hair across her face, covered in sweat, her chest heaving with her laboured breathing.

She had been, as the term was, 'danced out', she had no more to give and lay exhausted, unable to move. Ori it was who flung a cloak over her, and Bofur helped her to sit up. Bombur popped up again, with another drink for her, which again Bofur held for her to drink from.

As her breathing slowed to normal, as she stood up and was taken away by Raven to be redressed for another performance as the cheers of the patrons echoed through the building.

Before midnight Jewel was called upon for her last solo dance,  
and she obeyed. After many group performances at this  
great party and dance she was required to perform  
solo..drum beat only..floor work mostly, with a sword, a sword  
she was ordered to take from Dwalin.

She was under full Girl discipline and when she received  
her instructions these were given by a Slaver who laid  
a whip across her shoulders, and Jewel, shuddering,  
understood the consequences of disobedience. As she was  
taken to a holding cell awaiting her turn to perform she did  
not notice Dori and Ori watching before they went to find  
the rest of the Company.

Nori swore violently and long before announcing he would  
be back soon. He disappeared and indeed was soon back,  
for once showing he was extremely angry and upset at  
Jewel’s circumstances.

‘They won't let me see her but she is wearing locked,  
belled wrist and ankle restraints and from what my  
brother and sister said she is under whip discipline.’ He swore  
again, ‘something strange is happening and the guards  
know l know too much about how the Girls are handled  
to let me speak to her. Someone else must.’ Nori  
thought for a moment, ‘Balin l think might be allowed  
to speak to her, he looks harmless but isn't and of  
course is very persuasive when he wants.’

Thorin nodded and sent two other Dwarves with Balin,  
in this case Fili and Kili, friendly and charming they might  
be permitted to speak to Jewel too. As the Company  
awaited the return of the three sent to speak to Jewel,  
Nori questioned his brothers further.

‘How was the Jewel tied when you saw her?’

‘She was sitting with her legs folded under her, you know  
how she does that sort of sitting back on her heels thing  
and her hands were tied behind her back,’ answered Dori.

‘Was she actually whipped or was the lash simply placed  
across her shoulders?’ Again Dori answered, ‘she was  
not hit by the whip.’

Then Ori piped up, ‘something happened that  
confused me; Jewel was made kiss the whip handle.’

‘Are you absolutely sure?’

‘Certain,’ replied Ori

‘This is even worse, she is under whip law,’ Nori seemed  
quite upset by this turn of events. Thorin demanded  
explanation, ‘it seems the guards have given the her an  
order they fear she will disobey. By making her kiss the  
whip handle she has been told her disobedience will  
be severely punished, obviously whatever this order is  
either concerns us directly or there is suspicion she is an  
agent, or both, in any case if she does not follow her orders  
she is in danger, and if she does do as she's told it seems  
we might be in danger,’ Nori concludes.

‘Trouble either way,’ Thorin stated. ‘Still there seems to be  
little any of us can do except wait to see what happens,  
everyone be alert and no heavy drinking.’ 

Now they passed the time waiting with questions to Nori  
‘you seem to know a lot about how these Girls live,’ Gloin  
commented. 

Nori then launched into a detailed story of his nearly 30  
years dealing with these Girls, selecting those to be  
trained as agents. ‘You see, publicly owned Girls  
like Jewel often have a lot of free time so they can easily  
fit in activities for the Spy Ring.Also, a lot of their Slave  
training gives them skills l can use, most Girls are very  
observant, it is a skill that can save their lives.  
They have excellent memories from years of paying  
attention to orders they only get told once. Plus Girls  
are often taken to places other people don't go, for  
example they may serve a meal at a secret meeting and  
hear many interesting things and many speak several  
tongues and so on. They all speak a sign language known  
only to Girls and those they teach, the stupid Men don't  
bother to learn it so it is easy to speak privately to  
Girls no matter where you are.’

It was Bifur who startled the others with the next question.  
‘You spoke of Slave training,’ he asked, some of the words  
difficult to express in Khuzdul, ‘what does that mean?’

‘Many things,’ was the answer. ‘A lot of it is the sort of day to  
day things any woman might learn like cooking, cleaning,  
sewing and so forth. Slave training though will include  
things like the way the Girls walk or move in general.  
For Girls there is a right and a wrong way to even pick up a cup  
and trust me they learn to do it right very quickly. Then there  
are the ways a Girl may sit or kneel before free people, l won’t  
go into that it’s pretty intense, oh dancing, all kinds of things.  
Some Girls get trained as interpreters or diplomats, even  
hired killers. Many like Jewel or her friend Raven are good  
warriors and excellent horse riders but of course all are  
taught to be particularly alluring in their movements and  
speech, when Girls show what they can do they can stop a  
busy marketplace with everyone staring, Jewel especially  
can become a walking violation that breaks a dozen indecency  
laws at a time just crossing a road. Both Raven and Jewel are  
good storytellers and many Girls are trained to sing or play  
instruments and one or two l know are professional  
entertainers.’ Here he stopped before continuing, ‘some  
Girls receive training for the brothels but l’m not going there,  
none of the Girls l work with have full training in that area.’  
Now all the Dwarves were listening to Nori with differing  
versions of expressions of horrified fascination. 

Thorin decided to turn this conversation back to more  
ordinary matters, ‘Jewel is quite good around a forge  
as an assistant and she is very good at baking sweet  
cookies.’

Everyone nodded, then Dori spoke up, ‘and hair? It seems  
as if these Girls are nearly as particular about their hair  
as Dwarves!’

‘Yes but they are made to. Most Girls wear their hair like  
Jewel in what is called a Slave Flame, but many wear a  
ponytail which is called a Girl Lead in the Slave trade. Girls  
are often led about or even tied up by their hair.’ This  
disgusted the Dwarves who could imagine few greater  
indignities that a woman could suffer.

More questions went unanswered when Balin, Fili and Kili  
returned and reported to Thorin. ‘Yes we spoke to her, she  
claims that there is nothing to worry about all she has been  
asked to do is borrow Dwalin’s sword for her dance.’

‘What does she want Slayer for?’ asked a confused Dwalin.

‘To dance with, she said,’ answered an equally confused  
Balin.

Nori broke in, ‘it's a special dance where she balances a  
sword on her head, or wrist to show the perfection of her  
movement . Part of the reason she wants Slayer is because  
she needs a curved sword.. but l am starting to wonder  
what else is going on.’

Soon Jewel was seen waiting to the side, on her own now  
not with a group of others as she had performed throughout most  
the night, in a dance in which the Girls danced only to  
the ring of finger cymbals or another dance in which the  
dancers swung lengths of bright coloured cloth about  
themselves in a fun dance. All the dances had in common  
the unusual way the dancers moved with swaying hips  
and swinging arms and shoulders, so it was the Company  
saw how Jewel had come by her distinctive loose hipped  
swinging walk.

It was Bofur and Bifur who simply walked over to see her  
closely, and came back a few minutes later but  
not before a brief conversation had been managed by  
Bofur simply going up to Jewel, his arm sliding round  
her waist as he cuddled up to her feeling her trembling  
with fear. Bifur had gently tightened the coin belt she wore  
before they were seen off by the guardsmen, ‘she says she's  
fine, but she's scared,’ Bofur stated, his cousin backing  
him up. 

On the edge of the dancing square a guard untied Jewel’s  
hands and lead her by her ponytail to be the next Girl to  
perform. Watching her being manhandled like that  
had most of the Company starting to get restless  
and wanting to get Jewel out of there.

Soon enough it was Jewel who stood in centre of the  
dancing square, clad in orange and yellow silk, a halter  
top and billowing trousers, slit from hip to ankle. Light  
bronze chains were slung about her hips and hung down in  
loops across her belly from the brief top she wore. Her face  
was made up, dark kohl lining her eyes, her lips painted,  
designs drawn on her forehead, chin, hands and feet. The  
Dwarves could see the chains she wore reflecting the lamp  
light, moving with her breathing as she approached Dwalin,  
kneeling to beg for the loan of Slayer, just as the warrior  
had been warned. It had been decided to go along with this  
situation and see what developed so Dwalin handed the  
Girl the sword as agreed.

She laid the blade on the floor before her, turned and kneeled  
down, the blade now behind her. The music, a single low drum  
beat started and Jewel leaned backwards, and picked up the  
sword and placed the curved back against her chest, lifting  
herself on extended arms, her crossed feet still resting on  
the floor she performed a series of hip movements which  
had every eye upon her before sitting and placing the sword  
to balance on her head. Still seated, she began to roll in a  
circle, the sword perfectly balanced.

Coming to her knees, she then stood and began to spin  
around the dance floor, her ponytail and costume flying  
about her, the sword still balanced on her head. 

She then went into a series of moves from a delicate trembling  
of the hips which traveled up her body to her shoulders then  
down again to delicate shoulder and hand movements .  
Placing the sword on her left shoulder she  
performed an intricate series of steps and exotic hip  
movements that had the whole audience gasping.  
Spinning and twirling finally after several minutes she  
brought the dance to an end, going down on one knee  
before Dwalin, her wrists swept behind her as though  
bound, the sword, Slayer, balanced on her naked left thigh.

Only Thorin and Balin, who stood beside Dwalin saw his  
hand shook ever so slightly as he took back his sword  
careful not to touch the Girl’s bare skin. The audience  
erupted with cheers and praise of the dancing Girl who  
was lead off in the commotion before the Dwarves could  
stop it.

Fili and Kili sprang to their feet, gaining permission to look  
for the Girl. Disappearing they headed for the pens at the  
back of the entertainment area. The others watched the  
next performances and waited.

The brothers were soon back, ‘she's being held here for the  
night, the guards won't release her to us, she is chained to  
a ring, and braceleted,’ said Kili.

‘And she was denied water,’ Fili’s anger came through  
clearly in his voice, ‘she begged water from us.’

The Girl had, on seeing the brothers, gone down on her  
knees and begged water. ‘Please  
Masters, a Girl is very thirsty,’ and Fili and Kili had brought  
her water from a nearby tap. She had drunk greedily,  
having been left for some time without water, or food either.

The Company was agitated and ready to go free Jewel  
when another Girl, Lana, said she had been taken back to  
the Kennels for the night, and she could be collected in the  
morning. 

Reluctantly the Dwarves headed back to their residence  
and were just starting to settle down for the rest of the  
night when Raven arrived, crying for help.

She held manacled hands out to Nori to have the lock  
picked, explaining as he worked, ‘the Girls have rioted, it's  
how l got free. Jewel is in trouble, she's being made an  
example of for her disobedience.’

‘What disobedience,’ snapped Thorin.

‘Giving Dwalin back his sword after her dance, she was  
ordered to keep it, the town guard wanted the warrior they  
most fear of your Company at least partly disarmed.’

‘So it was a set-up,’ snarled Nori. ‘Which way, Raven,  
where is Jewel?’

‘At the training grounds,’ she gulped, ‘tied to a whipping  
post by her hair. I will show you the quickest way.’

Raven slipped out the door, and after a quick glance down  
an alleyway she ran swiftly, to the Dwarves surprise,  
nearly pushing their ability to roll along at a great pace  
to the limits. It was not far using the back alleyways as a  
shortcut to the open sandy area the town guardsmen  
used as a training ground. 

A Girl's piercing scream could be clearly heard, the crack  
of a whip followed by another scream. The Company  
picked up pace, now running faster than Raven could ever  
hope to keep up.

Raven skidded around the final corner and stopped,  
awestruck by what she saw. The Dwarves were in full fight  
mode, swords, axes, war hammers and knives flying.  
Gloin was untying Jewel’s hair as Dwalin and Thorin  
kept off the guardsmen. The Girl made some soft comment before  
all but fainting into Dwalin's arms, her back bloodied.

Soon the Dwarves were in a coordinated fallback to the old blacksmithy they used as their  
headquarters. Raven followed, and the guardsmen  
pursuing the Dwarves were suddenly ordered off to  
subdue the now totally out of control Girl Riot.

Oin directed Dwalin to place the injured Girl down  
near the fire, which Gloin was building up for more  
light and heat. Raven was heating water for Oin’s herbs and looking through cupboards for a special salve.

‘How is she?’ asked Thorin 

‘Bad enough,' replied Oin. 'The whip's lashes were wide, so she hadn't been cut by the whip, but the sheer force of being hit over and over has literally forced blood out through her skin. She's loosing a lot of blood that way, and she's freezing cold from shock and pain.'

It became too much for Bofur and he sat down by Jewel and  
took her hands, rubbing them soothingly and it seemed to  
work as she relaxed allowing Oin to finish treating her.

There was a shove, then a knock on the door. As the  
nearest, Dori and Nori answered it, fully armed. The  
Guards outside wished to talk to Thorin. Balin and  
Dwalin went to the door with him and soon beckoned  
Gloin over. After some intense haggling a sum of money  
was passed over, and the door was locked again and  
secured with strong metal beams.

Raven, who had hidden at the knock, came back out.  
Satisfied with the turn of events she began helping  
Bombur prepare soup for it would long night during  
which none thought they would sleep.

Jewel was now in a deep sleep brought on by Oin’s herbs  
and she was carefully moved to a quiet corner of the room  
and laid to rest wrapped in several blankets. Bofur  
volunteered to sit with her, her head resting his leg, one  
hand stroking her hair as he let the smoke from his  
pipe comfort him.

‘How is our little lass now,’ it was Dwalin asking.

Raven answered, ‘a bit better l think, but she's had a bad time, l've never heard of a Girl being whipped this hard, or having the punishment brands on the soles of her feet.'

‘Poor little luv,’ said Bofur, his voice soft and filled with compassion.

‘Why? Why would they do that?’ Dwalin was both angry and confused.

‘An example as l said, Jewel wasn't meant to survive,’  
Raven continued, ‘and the whole thing was to lure  
you dwarves nto a fight, you lot weren't meant to  
live either, but those stupid Men underestimated how  
Dwarves can fight.’

‘This was an attempt to murder us all then,’ growled Thorin.

Raven nodded. ‘I reckon so, someone has wind of the  
plan for a Quest and possibly other things.’ She would  
not speak of Thorin's father just in case the whole  
Company were not aware of the situation there.

‘What now,’ asked Balin.

‘We need to wait for Raign and the traveling minstrels she  
is with, they will have more news.’ Nori looked up from  
where he was setting a warning device on one of the windows. 

‘Raign?’ Thorin asked. ‘Yes, of course, the Girl with the Dragon  
brand.’

‘It could not be’ scoffed Gloin, ‘next you’ll be saying it  
is Smaug on her!’

‘It is,’ replied Nori. Gloin was stunned into silence.

‘What of our Lassie?’Dwalin asked, worried 

‘Truth?’ That was Raven again, 'Jewel was whipped so brutally to make her talk and as an example to us other Girls. It didn't work on either account then you lot arrived with me and saved her.’

'She refused to speak?' asked Dwalin. 

'Didn't say a word,' confirmed Raven.

The silence was deep and dark as midnight, only broken  
by Nori, ‘silly brave little Girl.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone still guessing? Please...


	11. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the rescue, Jewel has a talk to Dwalin.

Jewel woke, in pain. And wondering where in hell she was before realising she wasn't in those horrible Girl Kennels plus she was alive and definitely not alone. The punishment she had received came back to her and she shuddered, moving slightly and felt what, or rather who, was her pillow.

She stiffened, a bit uncomfortable with the fact that her head was resting on a muscular thigh, and a hand was stroking her hair softly. Aware too that though she was wrapped in bandages and blankets she was otherwise naked.

She knew whose lap she lay in before the Dwarf spoke, her voice soft, 'Bofur,' she whispered in a croak as her voice was harsh from overuse.

'Awake then darlin,' he asked, his hand stilling on her head before questioning, 'how did ya know it was me?'

Jewel took a deep breath and he helped her to sit up ready to drink a healing tea Oin had made. After a couple of mouthfuls to wet her throat she responded, 'l've told you before, smell.'

Bofur objected, 'l don't smell bad.'

Over the rim of the cup Bofur insisted on holding for her she answered, 'no, you don't smell bad, it's just as l keep telling you that you Dwarves all smell different.'

'If ya say so darlin, but l think we should put ya to a test on this one day.'

Jewel gave a small giggle which she immediately regretted with her sore throat. 'Maybe in a week or two.'

'The other lads will want to see ya now yer are awake.

'No, l just want to sit here.'

'But everyone is worried and wants to see you.

She shook her head silently.

Bofur thought for a moment 'are ye a bit embarrassed, luv?'

A nod in reply. 'Why? We probably owe our lives to what you did earlier.'

She did not respond, her hair pulled over face, hiding. Bofur pushed for a reply,   
'nothin to be ashamed of, we all know what happened.' 

A whisper from the Girl, 'l can't walk.'

'That's easy, l'll carry you, ya only weigh as much as a feather pillow.' 

Another, deeper, rougher voice spoke from the doorway, 'best to let the lads see yer alright, lass,' added Dwalin.

Oh no no no thought Jewel, not now. Not with Dori likely to fuss over her until death could nearly be considered as an alternative and probably Ori would help him. And not with Oin likely to ask embarrassing questions with no regard to whether or not Thorin was listening. 

'Up to you,' remarked Dwalin, 'but they're going to come in if ya don't come out.'

Bofur took the matter out of her hands by simply lifting her up and carrying her carefully into the next room and setting her down beside Oin in a nest of soft blankets which had clearly been set up for her. 

Bofur had already helped her put a clean shirt on, 'now yer ready to face the Company.'

'Do l have to?'

'Yes, ya do.' Bofur firmly responded and to her utter embarrassment the first person facing her was Dwalin who was sitting in front of her frowning.

'Lass, why? All ye had to do was keep ma sword.'

'And abandon the whole Company to be killed, to betray all of you! Do you think l could possibly do that?'

'Yes ya shoulda.'

'Fuck Dwalin l couldn't do that, anymore then l could fly to the moon!'

'Why?'

'Because l swore an oath, because l care for all of you!'

Silence. Jewel looked beyond Dwalin for an instant to see Thorin step up quietly in the background. As she watched the King in exile she was astonished when Dwalin took her hands and brought her attention back to him, as such Jewel understood whatever Dwalin was about to say was backed by Thorin. 

'We didn't expect you to put ya life on the line, to be..treated like that. You shoulda given in, let us deal with the consequences.'

'Well it happened, as for the consequences l knew they would not be pleasant.'

Dwalin took a deep breath. 'I blame ma self for reacting the way l did to ya dancin.  
Didn't know such a dance existed. Should not have let myself get so distracted by ya.'

'Did you?'

'We all did,' that was Bofur still sitting behind Jewel, supporting her. 'We all got careless, and ye nearly died because of it.'

'How did you get me away from the guardsmen?'

'You don't remember?' Dwalin seemed surprised.

'Not really. I remember my, um, punishment and l remember waking up with Bofur but l don't remember much of anything in between.'

'Aye darlin it was fine thing to see Gloin and Dwalin rescue yer,' smiled Bofur.

Jewel blinked, confused, and Bofur further explained. 

'Raven came to tell us what was happening, that the Slave Girls had rioted in the Kennels because of ya mistreatment. So Raven was able to get away and some of us followed her straight to yer and we got ya away, easy luv, yer safe now,' he soothed her.

'But why did the guards let you take me away?'

'They didn't at first, we got ya away to here, later the guards came by and we bought ya,' explained Dwalin. He was expecting a bad reaction from her but what he got was unexpected: Jewel burst out laughing, 'you dwarves own me, ha ha, you own a slave Girl!' She laughed until she cried.

Trouble was once she started crying she couldn't stop. Neither Bofur or Dwalin could comfort her and the rest of the Company gathered about trying in vain to calm her. Finally Nori took over, rocking the distressed Girl gently and letting her cry herself out, 'trouble is none of you know a damn thing about women,' he scoffed.

'Not fair,' objected Gloin, 'me and Bombur are married!'

'Yeah but you haven't run a Spy ring with mostly Girl agents for nearly 30 years!'

Everyone backed off at that and shortly after Jewel had settled enough for the Company to approach and speak to her, each Dwarf offering her a hug and some a kiss as well with all giving her support for the ordeal she had been through. 

Ori surprised her with a drawing of Dwalin carrying her unconscious from the training grounds. Jewel was stunned by the quality of the young dwarf's work from the savage look on Dwalin's face and the careful way her held close plus the incredible detail of her hair flowing loose like a bronze waterfall to the tips of Dwalin's boots and here, the Girl felt a bit embarrassed, as Ori had also very skilfully drawn every detail of her stark naked body.

Dwalin hovered close by still seeming to be blaming himself. He kept fussing over her in a completely uncharacteristic fashion, bringing her things to eat and drink.

After the fourth cup of Dori's tea, she eventually asked him what the problem was. 

'I let you down, l failed to protect you,' the tough warrior seemed genuinely upset.

'How do you figure that?' 

'My sword, and l should've guessed ya needed protection, stayed by ya and not let ya get hurt. I failed in my duty to protect and help a woman, and not just any woman, but you, who relies totally on us for protection.

''No, l am sworn to the Spy Ring, and by extension to Thorin and everyone in the Company, l swore before l met you lot to give my life if necessary, and all of you came to help me and save me when l needed it.'

Arms folded, Dwalin glared. Nearly as good as Thorin at his best.

'Now what!' Jewel sighed. Sometimes Dwarves, their stubbornness and the deep intricacies of their culture were exasperating.

Slowly Dwalin took a small very sharp dagger from his boot. Wondering, Jewel took it as he held it out to her. 'For failing ya, lassie, well, you have the right to shave ma beard for that dishonour.' 

Jewel stared and did not immediately answer him. When she did, it was with a question, 'you are of Durin's line, aren't you?'

Confused, but not, and never admitting to it, Dwalin answered, 'aye lass, l can claim Durin as an ancestor.'

'Good. Then l accept the fact l might shave your beard, Dwalin, with two conditions. Firstly, once l do what l will do, it will be a finish to this matter of so called dishonour because you believe you failed to protect me. Personally l see it as the whole Company being deceived. Secondly, l don't want your beard but...l will take some hair, a little, to satisfy you and because l have a purpose behind this.'

Taking the blade, she raised it carefully towards Dwalin's neck. He stiffened slightly as Jewel cut a small piece of hair from his beard and then he felt the blade lightly nick his skin and a few drops of his blood fell onto a tiny piece of cloth she held, calmly then she cut her own finger and added some of her blood to the cloth. She wrapped it all up together just as Balin, wondering what was up wandered over. 

'Balin,' could you keep this for me?' Puzzled he put the small package away in one of the many pockets all dwarves seem to have, Jewel smiled her thanks to him as he went on to speak to Dwalin, 'brother, when you have finished your chat with young Jewel could l have a word.'

Dwalin was still trying to understand what Jewel had just done. He got why she'd taken the tiny amount of his beard, it was certainly to appease his feelings on the matter of his failure to protect her. Why had she cut his neck? And why then had she cut her finger and added her own blood? Was it a vow of some sort?

He felt a light hesitant touch on his hand. Jewel's green eyes were worried, about him? 'Dwalin, what's wrong now?' He linked his fingers with hers, holding her hand tightly. 

'Something is bothering you.'

'Why the blood, lass?'

'I'm not working some terrible spell on you, or doing anything to hurt anyone in the Company, l swear to you. I have a feeling l will need what l took from you, a brave, strong warrior, in a working in the future.'

Even more bewildered, Dwalin shook his head. 'I know you don't want to hurt or control anyone, lassie, but..'

Jewel reached for Dwalin's other hand, which he allowed her to take, 'by the blood oath l took to Nori, and so to the Company l tell you l mean no evil intent, nor to do anything but use what l took for our advantage in the future, l will use that to call on Aule at great need.'

Poor Dwalin was even more confused. Jewel sighed again, 'don't worry, it will become clear at the time.'

After several seconds of deliberation he simply nodded, got up and went to talk to his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jewel really is a witch..


	12. Captives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jewel recovers from her punishment and goes shopping with Bofur.

A full week later Jewel was carried to the Town Master’s headquarters. She still had difficulty standing for long or walking far, even though Oin considered her feet to be remarkably improved. 

Dwalin carried her, wrapped in a clean, soft blanket. She rested her head on his broad shoulder, her vision was mostly obscured by his thick black hair and beard, but she didn’t care as it was easier to have her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep in any case. 

Under the blanket she was naked save a collar. It was the town council’s collar, and would be changed to one made by Dwalin and Thorin the previous day. 

Soon, kneeling, Jewel flung her hair forwards, over Thorin’s boots, as her old collar was removed and her new one, proclaiming Thorin her owner was locked on.

Jewel had submitted to her new owner and her papers were thus amended. Carefully, Dwalin had lifted her back into his arms and she had buried her face in his hair and beard again. 

Back at the forge, Jewel was left to rest in a warm bed. Later in the day, she got up in time for dinner, and enjoyed the evening meal with the dwarves and Raven before being tucked up to sleep again. 

So things went on for nearly two weeks, before she and Bofur were sent to do some shopping. 

***************************************  
Jewel shook with fear, as she knelt at Bofur’s feet. Her voice trembled so much he barely understood her, ‘please Master, do not ask me to call you by name in public!’

‘Lass, what’s the problem.’

‘I could publicly whipped, Master,’ the Girl whispered.

Bofur sighed, ‘lass, l’m not yours, nor any Girls Master, l’m just a toy maker.’ To the frightened girl’s surprise, Bofur lifted her to her feet. Gently he took her hand, ‘come on, lass, back to the others,’ and Bofur headed off, leading the Girl carefully by the hand. 

Before long, Bofur spied a well. It was a hot day and it was but a few seconds work to draw up a bucket of cool water. Jewel hung back, shaking her head as Bofur offered her the first drink from the attached metal cup. Bofur reluctantly went first, then watched in surprise as Jewel drank water from her hands, finally she rubbed her wet hands over her face and hands, cooling herself.

It was hot, Bofur admitted to himself. Even though he only wore a shirt and light mail, he was far too warm. Most people were resting under trees, awnings, and other shady areas, but Jewel and Bofur had an important job to do. 

Taking Jewel’s hand, he said, ‘come on lass, we’d better keep looking.’ 

She followed him carefully. Wearing only a soft brown skirt, and a body harness, the Girl was not overheated, but Bofur had, at first, been embarrassed by the Girl’s near nudity and her intense attention directed at him.

She had explained, ‘a Girl is totally attentive to her Master, in attention is not allowed.’ So, she paid great attention to Bofur as they walked through the marketplace, shopping for things the Company needed.

Finally, after Bofur had directed their purchases to be delivered to their blacksmith headquarters, he decided that both he and Jewel deserved a cool drink of fruit juice.

Approaching a vendor Jewel knew, Bofur ordered a drink of fruit juice, which Jewel as a slave shared with him. It was cool and refreshing, but unfortunately Jewel didn’t know the vendor had a new man working for him, one with an interest in dwarves, especially ones that might answer to Thorin.

Neither Jewel or Bofur realised the juice was drugged till they awoke, manacled and neck chained in a slave kennel. 

To say the dwarf was angry was an understatement. Jewel had never seen Bofur lose his temper like this, he was just as frightening as Dwalin or Thorin as he raged and roared trying to break the chains by sheer force, swearing In Khuzdul and Weston. A guard came too close to the bars of the kennel and Bofur grabbed him through the bars, throttling the man till a second guard tightened the choke collar Bofur wore, and finally blue in the face, the dwarf let the man go.

‘That’s a free one, shorty, do that again and it’s a hundred lashes,’ snarled the second guard. Then he kicked the first man, who lay on the ground, gasping for air. 

‘How many bloody times do l have to tell you NOT to get close to prisoners? Particularly the Midgets, they’re as short tempered as they are strong.’

Jewel meanwhile had brought Bofur a drink of water in an old, cracked, but clean cup. He looked dazed and worried but took the drink. The Girl then took his hands, ‘Bofur,’ he turned his face away.

‘We’ve been captured, we’ll be missed, the others will be looking for us.’

‘Lass..l don’t know what came over me.’

‘I do. Capture panic, l’ve seen it before in Dwarves, male and female, some Men will react the same way. The guards know what happened or you would be tied to a whipping pole to get a hundred lashes.’

‘I suspect we are simply being held for Ransom, you know all Dwarves carry lots of gold and gems, don’t they? That’s what people think, so this lot probably want money.’

Bofur sat up, feeling somewhat better. Then he blushed hotly, ‘Lass, what happened to our clothes?’ he asked, embarrassed.

‘Prisoners and Slaves are usually kept nude in these sort of kennels, so as not to get our clothes dirty.’ She noticed Bofur fidgeting with his chains. ‘They’ll likely unchain is soon enough, and give us some blankets.’

Jewel went on explain different things in the kennel. The white bucket was drinking water, the same battered cup Bofur had drunk from resting next to it. The wooden one was water for washing, and so on. 

Sure enough, as Jewel finished, two guards, one male, one female arrived. 

‘Back to the bars, prisoners,’ barked the man, and Jewel showed Bofur how to do this, stepping through her manacles, the chain between her hands being long to allow this, and now, with her hands behind her back, she walked backwards to the bars to stand with her back actually touching the metal bars. Bofur heard the key click first in the collar Jewel wore, than the manacles. 

Then Bofur’s metal bonds were removed, and he fought the urge to swing around and punch the guard. From the corner of his eye he saw Jewel accept a pile of folded blankets then a piece of cloth she immediately wrapped herself in. A similar piece of deep green cloth was handed to Bofur, and like Jewel he wrapped himself in it, not enjoying the looks the female guard was giving him. 

‘Prepare to be fed,’ the male guard said and Jewel kneeled in front of small sliding doorway through which two larger plates and two smaller ones were passed. Taking one of each plate, Jewel passed the two containing larger portions to Bofur. There were no utensils so the prisoners had to eat the bread and vegetable stew with their fingers. The second plate was fruit, and Jewel exclaimed at that, delighted the food was so good.

Bofur was still behaving in a very out of character way, muttering under his breath in Khuzdul and not really eating like he should. Jewel pleaded with him, ‘Bofur, please you should eat. We need to be strong and ready if we’re rescued or get a chance to escape. Bofur, look at me!’

Finally, he looked at Jewel, his eyes dark with anger. ‘It’s not right, to have no clothes on before you,’ he finally said.

‘It’s alright, we’re prisoners, besides you have a cloth blanket now.’

‘It’s still not right.’

‘If you don’t stop this, l will demand the full story behind every single scar and tattoo!’ Jewel threatened. 

Bofur gave her a shame faced smile as he picked up the dish of stew and started to eat. ‘This isn’t bad,’ he admitted. ‘Quite nice, actually,’ and he ate it all, and the plate of fruit. 

Jewel stacked the empty dishes at the slide door for the guards to collect, and washed her face and hands with a scrap of cloth before bringing another cloth and a cup of water to Bofur, who sat unnaturally silent for the usually chatty fellow he mostly was. 

‘What now Jewel? It is late, well after midnight l think.’

‘We should get some sleep,’ she suggested. 

She had piled up some straw, and laid out blankets. ‘Come on, let’s get some rest. It’ll be cold enough soon,’ and she invited the dwarf to share her snug straw nest and blankets. ‘Together, lass and both of us naked!’

‘Keep your cloth blanket on, and snuggle up,’ she instructed as Bofur, suddenly struck with the shyness reluctantly did as asked. Jewel then pulled the remaining blankets over them both. 

Soon enough they were both warm. Jewel brushed Bofur’s loose thick hair back from his face, to, as she said, see him better. 

He flinched from her touch. Yet she buried one hand in his thick, dark locks and wrapped her free arm about the dwarf, whispering a soothing song in her native tongue.

Bofur’s shaking slowly ceased. Eventually he spoke again, his voice soft, yet almost impossibly deep, like the centre of the earth spoke, ‘l’m sorry lass, l don’t believe you can feel anything but disgust because l failed to defend ya.’

‘We were betrayed and drugged, l fail to see that is your fault. Maybe l am to blame, as l didn’t realise that merchant had a new man in his employ.’

Bofur considered her words. ‘What now?’ He finally asked. 

‘Sleep, rest. Tomorrow will tell us more of who has us, and what will happen.’

‘Lass, l can’t. I’m wide wake.’

‘Would you like me to tell you a story?’

Bofur’s eyes lit up, because he loved stories. ‘What sort of a story?’

‘Of a Princess and seven dwarves? Or the bravest girl in the world?’

‘The bravest girl,’ he decided. 

Jewel settled herself, one hand softly under Bofur’s cheek, the other lying lightly on his shoulder. Once Bofur had relaxed a bit more, she began her tale. 

‘Not so far from here, and not so long ago, a young girl lived with her family on the great grasslands to the south east of here. At this time, a rogue lion stalked the plains, a man eater, one who sought the flesh of people to eat, and who hunted people down like jumping antelope.’

Bofur shuddered in appreciation of her story, as fearful as any other listener of being eaten alive by a giant cat. 

‘Now, there was also a great sickness in the lands. Oh few died of it, but many were laid low for a moon or two. So it was only the girl was fit and well in her family when the time came to deliver a horse to her new owner. 

So, the girl set out to keep her father’s contract.’ Bofur softly agreed, all dwarves loved a good contract after all, and once one was made, it needed to be kept, of course.

‘The girl walked beside the year old filly, both of the apprehensive in case the man eater came their way. Filly, or girl, each would be equally easy prey, and equally delicious.’

Bofur’s dark eyes were wide now, as he let himself be submerged in the story. ‘How did the lass deliver the filly safely?’

‘A Man, of the Rohirrim. He came from afar, hunting the beast, with a great crossbow, for it had taken one of the high nobles of Rohan. The girl met him by accident, as he tracked the vicious man eater by his king’s command.’

Jewel noted Bofur had relaxed, become his own sweet self again as he listened. 

‘The Hunter spoke to the girl as they walked, he ready to shoot any danger, she telling all of the man eater, ‘oh he ate Ali’s mother and Becca’s uncle. He has eaten many many people!’

The girl spoke of of where the vile creature had been seen, ‘here, on this road,’ she explained. 

‘When?’ The Hunter asked. 

‘Last night,’ the girl replied. 

‘And you are alone, but for a filly!’

‘I have to deliver her.’

‘To where?’

‘To my Uncle’s house, this filly is a present for his son, on his wedding day!’

Jewel went on to explain that her people used mares, battle mares in warfare. This filly came from a long line of celebrated warrior horses, and was thus a fitting present. 

‘So the filly was delivered. Then the girl was to find her own way home.’

‘Braving the man eater?’

‘Um, yes.’

‘What of the Man of Rohan?’ asked Bofur, hoping the human had protected the young girl.

‘He saw the girl home, safely, and using the information she gave him, he was able to kill the man eater with his cross bow. The Man took the big cat’s skin back to his king as proof of his success.’

Bofur gently stroked Jewel’s cheek, ‘lass, you were the girl in the story,’ he stated gently.

‘I was, yes. Often l wonder if that story being spread around is part of why l was kidnapped to start with, the notoriety of being the bravest girl.’

‘That’s something you’ll never know for sure, Yeddith,’ he answered, using her true name. 

‘True enough!’

Bofur was starting to relax at last. ‘Why are you rubbing the back of my neck?’ He asked. 

‘It’s supposed to be soothing.’

‘That it is.’ Bofur’s eyes were slowly starting to close, and before long the dwarf slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is half of a split chapter, in the next half will be the consequences of the ill thought out kidnapping of two of Thorin’s Company!

**Author's Note:**

> The Girl is my own OC. The Master/ Dwarf is a well known Tolkien character. If guess who there will be reward!


End file.
